The Difference
by Yourfellowwriter
Summary: Jaune Arc focused one/two/three-shots. Varying themes. 15th Chapter - A White Forest Filled With Yellow Roses
1. Chapter 1

**First**

Ruby's first kill was accidental. Jaune's was not.

Ruby's first kill was a bandit attacking the town they'd just arrived at. They'd split up to deal with the others, Ren and Nora going after one group, while Jaune and Ruby went after another. Ruby did not waste time, she let loose her Semblance, Scythe raised high and when it hooked around the bandits body, she fired. The momentum cut through him like butter, dead in an instant.

She had not thought that these attackers may not have Aura protecting them. She had grown so used to enemies and opponents who had that barrier around them, she was so caught up in her desire to protect she had momentarily disregarded everything else.

Needless to say that she'd been a complete wreck for weeks afterwards. She'd bath multiple times a day in whatever clean water source they could find when they back on the road, Nora keeping watch as the young girl scrubbed vigorously at the imagined bloodstains. She barely spoke, and when she broke down in tears Jaune was always there with n embrace and shoulder cry on. Holding tightly, comforting her when she weakly struggled to escape but knowing when to let go and give her space as well. Ren did his best to help, subtle bursts of his Semblance whenever the girl had a nightmare so that she could calm and sleep easier.

It affected everyone, but one day she started to improve. They'd worried it would take longer, that they may have to turn back and force Ruby to seek professional help. Being away from her family and team had been stressing her out enough already without this on top. Her supposed special power and her importance in this secret war only compounded everything together. One day she just started getting better.

Ruby's Semblance was speed after all, she didn't do anything slowly and moving past this was included. It didn't happen overnight, Ren still had to employ his semblance, especially when in Grimm infested areas, Nora still watched over her while she bathed, still struggling with the blood she thought she could see. Jaune, he backed off a bit more, as days went by she needed fewer comforting words but she still sought out his embrace at least once a day. They all slept closer together now, Ruby in between him and Ren for ease of Semblance employment but she always wanted to be closer to Jaune at night. Ruby was an affectionate young girl, and her mind had placed him at the forefront of her recover.

Eventually, the scars that incident left behind faded enough that she no longer had nightmares, no longer saw the blood. She was quirky and chipper, just like she always was.

When Jaune made his first kill, he felt nothing. No pity or shame, nor did he feel happy or relieved. He hadn't expected it to feel good per say but he'd thought there would be _something_. The women headless at his feet, she'd been his goal for so long now. Ruby stood behind him silently, he suspected she thought he was just coming to grips with it, but she would be wrong.

He'd been prepared for this since the day she made her first kill, but for even longer he knew that this women would be his first and only. He'd considered sparing her, he really had, for the sake of his own soul but in the end he'd taken her life anyway. Ever since the day they found out she was still alive, he'd been prepared.

No, Ruby might not realise it but this encounter was never going to go any differently. It may have looked like things would go a different way, but it wasn't going to. He was always going to be leaving this building with her head in hand, the fact she tried to kill him when his back was turned only made it _look_ like it was self-defence. He'd only turned his back to tell Ruby to leave, to go find any survivors or prisoners. He hadn't wanted her to see him kill in cold-blood.

Her first kill had affected her deeply, she was just a tad more cynical, a tad less optimistic and he didn't want to be his actions now to push her further away from being the person he loved. He would never tell her of his feelings, of course, with so much more to do before tracking down this Salem woman, he didn't want to burden her with his feelings. It was just them two now, Ren and Nora critically injured and recovering in a hospital three towns over, he couldn't afford to distract her with something as inconsequential as his feelings.

Still, he'd done what he'd set out to do that day. An entire year it had taken but he'd finally avenged his partner. She wouldn't have wanted him to do it, to coat his hands like that, but what she wanted didn't matter. She was dead after all, she couldn't _want_ anything. All he knew was that his precious partner, a friend her cherished even if he never did have any romantic feelings for, was killed by the woman and his feet.

It was revenge, pure and simple, a burning hatred for this woman that none but Ren and Nora knew about and the only reason they knew, was because they felt it too. He had meant it when he'd thought that this encounter couldn't have ended any differently was because even if it wasn't him here, if it were Ren or Nora, the results would've been the same.

Cinder Fall would've died.

JNPR had been a team, yes, but they'd become a family. They were closer to each other than any other at Beacon, though it may not have seemed it. They shared their pasts but left out many details. They were close but some secrets are never to be told. Pyrrha's family was often away, she trained so hard and became so strong to combat that crushing loneliness she felt only to realise too late that by being so strong she had further alienated herself. Ren and Nora were Orphans, Nora abandoned and left to fend for herself homeless on the streets. Ren had witnessed his Mother and Father die during a Grimm attack and that was when he'd unlocked his Aura and Semblance. In the process meeting Nora and giving her the first weapon she'd ever had. He'd shared his stories too.

JNPR trained together, lived together and they'd said they would die together if needs be. It was why it hurt so much that Pyrrha had fought alone that night, because even injured, even weak and useless, they would have stood tall at her side. Really though, deep down, they knew that of all of them Pyrrha was the one most likely to sacrifice herself alone to protect the ones that took away her loneliness.

So, as compensation, they would take away everything of Cinders. They would raze every tie she had in the world, every person who had helped her, every person she worked with, they would take them all on. No matter how kind, how caring or loving team JNPR was, you did not take something of theirs without permission. Taking a members life? Then not even hell itself would protect you or anyone else in their way.

It's funny really, he would find himself thinking, how far people would go for the ones that save them from themselves.

* * *

 **I was thinking last night, and came up with this. It's not all that good, mostly because I didn't but much thought in to refining the original idea but I like it nonetheless.**

 **For the record, my bets are on a member of team JNPR taking down Cinder. (Though my money bet is on Jaune).**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Yourfellowwriter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Is This Really My Destiny?**

 **THERE ARE TECHNICALLY SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER (THOUGH INCREDIBLY MINOR) SO, CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED**

It had been months since she took this power for herself, months since she was first dragged back by her underlings and finally granted a true audience with Mistress Salem. In all that time, there was something _different._

It was subtle at first, a slight humbling at her defeat at the hands of the Silver Eyed Girl. With her inability speak above a soft whisper, her vocal chords damaged, ripped apart by Silver Aura, she'd become more reliant on other people than ever before. It was a strange feeling, to be thankful for Emeralds presence in any sense in the past had been a ludicrous idea... Now she felt indebted for even the small assistance the girl gave. Mercury's quiet silhouette always behind her, more serious in the presence of Salem but when alone with the her and Emerald, the bickering amused her in ways it hadn't before. She felt indebted to him, for being so carefree and joyful in the ways he teased and cajoled his partner, for being able to lighten such dark moods.

Salem was not kind. Even the air around that woman was harsh, cold and utterly terrifying. Her ability to control Grimm, whether a Semblance or some sick perversion of one, only added to that womans image as a true monster.

It was strange, Cinder had never felt true fear until she met Salem. Even the other guests of the manor, hardened criminals, the worst of the very worst for the crimes they had committed, the genocides and the tortures, experiments and twisted morales, all of them were beyond afraid too. Yet as time went on, a little voice in her head only made things more confusing.

It would whisper out in the night, but she could never quite catch what it said. She feared she was going mad, perhaps the "good" Doctor had been drugging her food, or it was another test from Salem. It got progressively louder, that odd voice, but still never above a whisper. Just like her own voice, but this inner one was softer, kinder. It gnawed at her memory in ways she didn't understand. It wasn't until Tyrian returned from his Eye-for-an-Eye mission, that she realised something.

She didn't want to do this anymore.

She'd been noticing it infrequently since the Fall of Beacon, her expression that was; It was _soft!_ More than soft, it was weak, forgiving and so damn lonely! It spoke of emotional turmoil and sadness, of self-loathing and fear and lost loves, failed loves.

'Do you still believe?'

When Tyrian returned, when the normally psychotic, hyperactive Scorpion Faunus hopped up on whatever drugs Salem provided him declared her disappointment in him, when the man broke down in tears. It was then that she heard that voice clearly for the first time.

'I asked you once, but what of now?'

She'd not realised it before, when she was practicing with the power of the Fall Maiden, just why Salem thought she was holding back. She wasn't, at least she hadn't thought she was anyway. It was only now she realised, she had been. She'd been holding back because to use too much would open herself up to the _other_ thing she'd unwittingly stolen that night. Aura was strange, mysterious, but the power of the Fall Maidens? It was more so. It _bonded_ to those who possessed it, it became their identity. Power Incarnate, it had no personality but it demanded to be used. It held no voice, but screamed through the bodies of those who held it like the wind.

She had destroyed the machine with Autumn inside when she killed her, but it had already been in the process of transferring. That wanna-be Maiden, the one Ozpin subtly pressured into taking up the mantle of one of the four, she had kept an insignificant amount of that power within her. When Pyrrha Nikos died, when Cinders own had rendered her dust on the wind, the last of that power had brought with it something unexpected.

It wasn't a soul, or an Aura, or anything other than the last of the Maidens Power. It was simply a ghost of person that could no longer be. The look on her face now, the expressions, they were the first sign. She'd seen that girl pull the same faces.

'When I think of destiny' that voice had whispered 'I never saw a predetermined fate you can't avoid'

Pyrrha Nikos was dead, returned to the ashes from whence she came, but the ghost of her philosophy had flooded through Cinder at the moment of her death. Things like that... Things like that shake even the strongest of resolve.

* * *

 **The only spoiler you might have noticed, was the interaction between Tyrian and Salem as well as Cinder practicing the Maiden power. The reference to a drug, that was just my opinion. Though there is technically another spoiler in my discussion below. Again, minor, just my own thoughts of Episode 11**

 **I reckon every member of The Last Eye is there for power, and I have the feeling that Tyrians reaction wasn't fear of physical punishment but the loss of a drug his horribly addicted too. His crying didn't seem like that of someone scared of being hurt, but of something he's addicted to being taken away. Cinder's expression after he breaks down is one of realisation, I believe, that she's finally seeing the effects of that old saying about "absolute power".**

 **At some point or another Salem _offered_ these people power, I think she was the one to seek them out. I highly doubt they came to her, in fact I guarantee that until she introduced herself that they had never even heard of her.**

 **This whole idea is something i've been toying with since the first time we saw Cinder again, the expressions she had sometimes were not something we'd seen on her before. It could be attributed to fear of Salem, but they didn't look like it to me. More, of a softness she'd not had before the Fall of Beacon further bought about by whatever horrible injury she suffered at the hands of the Silver Aura (I say that specifically because Ruby wasn't in control of it, at least consciously, that much was certain).**

 **This latest episode only fueled my desire to right something like this.**

 **Well, I hope you like the second chapter of my collection of one-shots!**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Yourfellowwriter**


	3. Chapter 3

**Brother**

 _This one is not even close to my best, but I was feeling sentimental and also felt like trying out a "pairing" I never have before._

* * *

Ruby loved her sister to no end, but she'd always wanted an older brother too.

For as long as she could remember, she had seen her friends and signal run into the arms of their elder brothers when they arrived to take them home. Some were well-established hunters, others were regular civilians and some were some mix of the two. That warmth in those older boys eyes, it intrigued her. It wasn't in Yang's, Qrow's or her Father's. Their warmth was similar but different enough to be noticeable.

She'd asked before, what it was like having an older brother. They'd all said roughly the same thing, time and time again. Sometimes you hate them, they're so different from you that you can't understand them. Other times you adore them, seek them out when the world around you is off-kilter, they hug you and tell you that they love you and will do all they can to keep you happy. She felt her sister was the same. But there was one difference.

No matter what you say or do, what they say or do, and older brother is strong in a way different from a sister or father. It's unexplainable, but it's there. She wanted to experience that difference. She was told that on the surface there is no difference between elder siblings, no matter the gender, but each has something the other can never provide properly.

When she first took Jaunes hand and his nervous smile greeted her own, she wondered, could he show me? Jaune wasn't strong, not like her or Yang, but he did have _something_ that she instantly knew as different. Special.

As their friendship improved she noticed it more, wanted it more. She sought him out and he was always ready to provide, even when he didn't know how to help he put forth everything he could. He faced her sisters wrath because he'd made her cry when he spoke a truth that hurt her, and he never brought it up. She'd tried to apologise, but he'd waved it off and treated her no different. He was the same as Yang, but at the same time he wasn't.

When she learnt he had 7 sisters, she wondered, where do I fit in? He hadn't even needed her to comfort her when that thought popped up, but she sought him out anyway. He sat with her, listened to her ramble on about weapons he couldn't even begin to understand and then she asked of his sisters. His face lit up with a smile she'd never seen on him before. Proud and beaming and he spoke without end.

She asked Yang to speak to him one day, ask him what he thought of her. She easily brushed aside Yang's teasing, she just wanted to know. So it came to pass, Yang asked Jaune about her while she spied round a corner. He paused for a moment, thinking, before his face lit up just like it had before.

He spoke animatedly and proudly, Yang stood by dumbfounded. Ruby's chest warmed to levels equal to that her beloved sister inspires in her. She realised then, at that very moment, that there really isn't a difference between an older sister or an older brother. They both love unconditionally, both defend till the death and both inspire both animosity and adoration in their younger sibling.

Still, as she watched Yang playfully slap the back of her hand on Jaune's chest plate just above his heart, as her sister _giggled_ and smiled in a way she'd never seen before, she wondered. She wondered, what clicked in to place in her heart to realise that she felt more complete than ever since her mother died.

She watched Jaune laugh aloud, still as proud as ever for her own achievements, as if they were inspirational, as if they were the greatest things he knew of. She wondered, as Yang hooked her arm around her fellow blondes and dragged him off while talking animatedly, why she felt as if she had truly gained a brother.

Several years later, she did. An in-law and seven new cousins in fact. It's funny, she thinks now. Yang and Jaune were such family orientated people, prepared to go to the ends of Remnant for them, face any pain, any hardship. Little, curious, Ruby Rose had somehow led two kindred spirits to each other, simply for the desire of finding out what makes an older brother different.

Even at 25, she still lies across both Yang and Jaune's laps, basking in the fact that their truly is no difference.

Love is the same no matter who it comes from.


	4. Chapter 4

**Drunken One-Shot (Though I Named The File K.O.)**

 _I was very, very drunk at the time but I felt that at least some of you might like this bollocks._ _It imagines that all Anime worlds exist on one planet and that the majority of popular Fanfiction ideas also apply. Hence the Jaune Harem thing, also the Ren & Nora thing. I imagine, in my drunken state, it was supposed to be satirical but ended up as, well, this crap. Hope you enjoy it as my drunken self probably did!_

* * *

There was a time he believed in "true love". He blamed his Sisters for that, endlessly spouting none sense about how there is one, and only one, person meant for you out there.

He knows better now, knows that it's a lie. The truth, he knows, is;

Nobody's special.

Different, sometimes, sure but not special. In his world, there are a limited number of personalities, a limited number of fashions and a limited number of physical characteristics. Which means, there's bound to be doppelgängers in everything from looks to personality.

Take Weiss, for example. He thought that his "true love" for her made her a once in a lifetime person. Nope, wrongo boyo! He met 5 people just this morning with the same holier-than-thou attitude, tsundere personality. 2 of which were dainty, white haired princess types.

Then there's Ruby, his best friend and also "true love" candidate.

Short, quirky and cute. Hyperactive ditz interspersed with moments of utter genius. How many of them does he see a day? How many has he become friends with? 25 and 60 respectively. Though, friends was just a blanket term and what he really means is "spent enough time with to work out their whole schtick... i.e five minutes".

Hell, not even he himself is exempt. The number of bumbling fools that somehow attract scores of woman and possess "uniquely powerful and hitherto unknown gifts" is, ironically, surprisingly high. Unique his scrawny arse!

So, yes, True Love is utter bollocks. He has 5 goddamn girlfriends he loves equally, usually anyway, but not a single one is "true love".

Also, for some forsaken reason, each of those 5 girls believes that he is their "one special person". He's shared between 4 other people! How could he possibly be the person made only for them!?

Of course, they just lightly slap his arm, or punch in a way too hard loving manner if their name is Yang, and call him silly if he ever brings up these thoughts.

He loves 'em but give 'im a break! He ain't perfect! Just like the rest of his improbably powerful and idiotic ilk, he has flaws!

His favourite piece of clothing has a damn bunny rabbit on it, in case he ever gets a concussion he wrote left and right on his shoes. His favourite food is aimed at toddlers and very young children and his dream is to be exactly like a storybook hero! He's a damn kid in a young adults body who occasionally has wise things to say. Lest he forget his ability to pull life-saving or game changing tactics out of his arse at the last minute.

He likes himself, really, he accepts his faults and does what he can to better himself while staying true to his core archetype but, still.

5 girls, one him.

He supposes, he's got it better than some of the others of his kind. The ones who have a dark past and are somehow even more attractive because of it. At least he isn't a traumatised wreck on the inside like they are. No, he bottles it all up until it explodes before he gets help, which is much better! Sorta... he gets help in the end and that's what matters, right?

Still, at least his good friend Ren's got his back! Most of the time anyway.

Ren's in the Archetype where their childhood best friend (and wife in all but name) drags him into crazy adventures. The straight man who cleans up all the messes his partner makes with a patient, if completely exhausted, smile.

Shame though really, he heard that those in that archetype have the highest chance of death by loved one. (Which is an incredibly vague term which covers everything from Constant Adventure related Stress to Yandere Love Murder/Suicide). He personally has money on Stress being Ren's killer, while Ren has money on him dying because of "Completely Unnecessary After-the-Fact Sacrifice".

All real causes of Death in his world, he assures you.

But, on the plus side they both have pretty good chances of being "Revived Through The Power of Love and/or Friendship". The only real cure for death, that doesn't involve the wholesale slaughter of a thousand innocents.

Now that he thinks about, his worlds pretty fucked up!

You've got the Grimm on the continents on one side of the plant, Titans on another, Immortal Ninja's way down south and Wizards fighting an Immortal Death Mage and A Dragon Slayer trying to destroy the world way up North. Plus all the other monsters and messed up people. Also all places it's a severe taboo to talk about for some reason.

His friend from when he was a kid, Saiki K, wanted nothing but to be left alone to suffer through being an all powerful psychic in peace. Then there was Naruto, weird kid, shouted a lot, ate Ramen like it was going out of fashion. Natsu, the fire breathing adopted son of a dragon, the stretchy freak that wanted to be king of the pirates. The list goes on!

Yup, that was one thing he, Jaune Arc, knew to be the truth.

In a world where being revived by friendship and love was possible. Where people like him with "rare" & "unique" powers are counterintuitively, stupidly common. Where monsters roam, immortals exist and it's perfectly acceptable to write that the cause of death was "killed by time-travelling future self trying to stop himself from existing", in this wonderfully fucked world.

True Love is completely bogus!


	5. Chapter 5

**Starting Small**

* * *

"I feel bad for Ruby"

Yang confessed late one night, sat side by side with the leader of Team JNPR. It wasn't odd to see them together any more, they'd been spending time alone together since Yang discovered Jaune's incredible ease in giving family advice. As someone who practically raised Ruby, she didn't really have anyone to confide family issues with without it being weird. She had an absent mum, a drunk uncle and a great father who was equally as inept as her sister with these sorts of things. Save her mother, Yang adored her family but she never felt like she could speak to them about this. Jaune always helped her though.

" How come?" He asked gently, eyes still on the sky while hers faced down.

"She's at that age now, right?" She saw him nod "but none of the guys she has a crush on want to get close to her. They're all scared i'll go ballistic and beat the shit out of them for looking at my sister that way"

Yang couldn't understand why, she was protective sure but Ruby was her own person, she had the right to like a guy and guys had the right to like her. So long as there wasn't any sinister intent Yang was content to let her sister sink or swim on her own. It's not even like she glared at anyone she even suspected of being attracted to her sister either. Honestly, she'd encourage someone to try, if they thought they could make Ruby happy then who was she to deny them both that chance? Sure, if things got serious she'd give the whole "hurt her, you die" speech, but that was more sibling tradition rather than any serious threat. Sometimes things don't work, arguments happen and people get hurt. There was no avoiding that, she'd offer her dear sister advise but Ruby needed to learn to deal with things like that in her own way. It would be ridiculous to butt into someone else's relationship like that, she would hate it if someone did it to her.

But, alas, no guy save for Ren and Jaune were truly comfortable spending any length of time alone with her sister. It was sad, really sad, and Ruby was starting to realise it too.

"You're worried she'll blame you?" Jaunes question startled her but she nodded nonetheless, it was true after all.

"She's starting to see it already, how every time she talks to a guy they get really panicked and run. Ruby is well aware of how little intimidation she's capable of... only you and Ren don't run for the hills"

Jaune snorted and fell backwards onto his back with a sigh.

"There's not a whole lot you can do, really. There's no hope for idiots, I should know. But, talk with her, ask her about who she likes and maybe go out of your way a bit to help. Just once will be enough, show that you support any relationship she's trying to establish"

Yang snorted this time, almost succumbing to full blown laughter.

"I tried that once before moron, you didn't even notice that she was trying to flirt with you"

There was a silence, barely a second, before Yang realised what she let slip. Mechanically turning her head she caught sight of the boy lay beside her. Arms crossed behind his head, a single eye open and a smirk on his lips.

She could see why Ruby had been attracted to him. The guy was damn expressive, his entire body gave off a sense of amusement.

"Oh? Perhaps I'll have to investigate then? Surely you wouldn't mind?"

"Touch her and you're dead" Yang laughed playfully, it was obvious to both that the scythe wielder held no interest in him that way anymore. Jaune had simply grown more bold in making jokes around her, and Yang may have had a hand in warping his sense of humour just a bit.

They laughed together, Yang falling back to lay head on his shoulder. There was no hidden meaning behind it, she did this with everyone she trusted. A show of friendly affection. Although, she wouldn't deny she enjoyed the way his hand always came to stroke her hair whenever she did it with him.

"You'd have been a cute couple y'know? All awkward and shy"

"I guess so, we've changed a lot in three years though. Plus, I always preferred the older sister type- Ooopmf"

Yang withdrew her elbow from his stomach with a smirk.

"A shame then that I prefer people who don't throw up on my shoes!" Her smugness was wiped away instantly with the near instant rebuttal from her current pillow.

"Huh? You? I was talking about Weiss's sis- Gahg"

Yang pouted still pinching the boys side hard

"Alright, alright! I get it You're much better than Weiss's incredible - Oww! H-hey! What's that look for!?"

After a few minutes of rolling around attempting to pinch each other to death both young adults collapsed awkwardly back to the floor laughing.

Yang was grateful. This was another reason she came to Jaune about things like this. When he couldn't help, he simply cheered her up.

Yeah, maybe she'd get Jaune to stand beside her so they can help Ruby together. That sounded nice.

* * *

 **You _could_ see this as a follow on from my previous Jaune x Yang one-shot, but I prefer to think of them as entirely separate from each other. I've been getting a bit frustrated with all the stories that pain Yang as someone who would attack or threaten someone for taking an interest in Ruby. It's kinda stupid. Yang's protective, I'll give you that, but she wants Ruby to be happy. Part of life is forming relationships, whether romantic or otherwise, and Yang's not going to fuck that up by butting her head where she knows it doesn't belong. Yang, if I remember right, is explained as a character who would teach someone to swim by pushing them in at the deep end. Keeping that in mind, writing her as someone who tries to micromanage someone's life in the way she's usually written is out of character. **

**Sure, I reckon she'd do the "threat thing" if it got serious, I myself have done exactly that to anyone who entered a serious relationship with either of my sisters. But, I didn't ever mean it, it's just something siblings do. Relationships are a pain, lots of hard work and even small mistakes can end up hurting someone. That's a part of what makes a relationship what it is. You show me a "perfect" couple and i'll tell you all the reason's that those people are fakes. If Yang was truly like how she's written, she'd be angry _all of the time._ **

**Not quite sure where i'm going with my rant anymore, but the basic premise was; Yang's not over-protective, just protective. On a personal note, having characters do things like that is just lazy. It's writing short-hand that doesn't hold any place in modern fiction. It also, I can assure you as a middle child with two sisters, is not how sibling love works in the slightest. I love my sisters dearly, do anything for 'em, but I sure as shit would never get involved in their lives like that because then the only thing i'd be showing them is lack of respect. Ya get me?**

 **Any way, rant over, sorry about that!**

 **Kindest regards,**

 **Your Fellow Writer.**


	6. Chapter 6

**What Tyrian Sees**

Mad? Why yes he was. Barking, in fact. Did he mind? Not in the slightest.

Tyrian was the sort of Faunus to go with it, roll with the punches, to not fight where his life seems to be sending him. Oh he's not lazy, no, he will go out of his way to please Mistress Salem. He'll go out of his way to scare and kill and torture. He didn't mind how different he'd become since he was young, and it never really bothered him that no one from that time was still around.

Admittedly, he'd killed all but one of them and that one was killed by some other person. Who was also, now, dead.

So, when he flings himself forward to attack that boy with the shield and the blond hair, he finds himself directly looking into his eyes. There's a beat, and that boy _glares._ Tyrian smiled wider and leaned forward with a hysterical chuckle. The boy was interesting, it's been a long time since he'd glimpsed such feelings in a persons eyes.

Tyrian wondered, almost fascinatingly in his addled mind, what this boy would go on to do if he survived.

That anger and hatred and betrayal, among a slew of other roiling emotions, they would either drive him insane, which would be funny, or they would push him to greatness. He wondered, on whose side might that greatness might fall on. It was interesting, very, very interesting.

Tyrian might keep an eye on this particular story, maybe even tail the boy a bit now that the fight is over and his own tail was bandaged.

...

A few hours later, he was even more interested. Now he knew exactly where that anger was focused.

It was focussed on Ozpin and his allies... The reason he lost someone close.

It was funny, and interesting, interesting, interesting!

Would that blond become like him someday then? Follow the same path and eventually wind up with Mistress Salem too? That would be interesting.

* * *

 **Extra short story today. There's a lot of theories about the whole Tyrian - Jaune thing. But, I don't see what most of the theories claim about Tyrian seeing some special potential. He doesn't seem the sort to notice stuff like that. _However_ in the few second encounter. This is what I saw;**

 _ **Tyrian jumps on Jaune's shield, and looks in Jaune's eyes.**_

 _ **Jaune is surprised for a moment, before his eyes narrow.**_

 _ **Tyrian leans in with a larger grin and a laugh.**_

 **That's exactly what happened, and it may be nothing, but Tyrian seemed to respond to Jaune's glare rather than anything else. It's a simple explanation, but that's the whole point. There's no need to look for evidence of Jaune's semblance or whatever, because the encounter between them that is most important is that few second clip where it played out exactly as I said above.**

 **Of course, my theory relies a lot on the fact I genuinely think that Jaune has become completely disillusioned with what his previous image of a Hunter was, and the more time he spends around Qrow the further from that image Jaune is going to get.**

 **Anyway, sorry if this note is longer than the story!**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Yourfellowwriter**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Worf Effect**

 _Found this kicking about on my computer. Feels unfinished, but I kind of enjoyed it so I'm posting as is._

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos had a condition. It wasn't noticeable, in fact even she was unaware of it herself. It followed her from birth, providing zero problems or obstacles to her life and absolutely no health issues either.

While it would be simple enough to explain, an example would help. Her partner on team JNPR, and her leader, Jaune Arc. When he introduced himself, she did not hear what others heard. Instead of the name Jaune Arc she heard the words "May be Special, might not be". So that was what she called him, however to everyone else it still sounded like she said Jaune Arc. Hence, that is why not even she was aware of this strange condition. Names were always weird like that so she never understood that, that was a weird thing to be called.

This extended to everyone she met. Nora and Ren she heard as "Tragic Past", Ruby Rose was "Special Eyes". Ozpin was "Not His Real Name" and so on and so forth.

Dear reader, you might even be wondering about now; if this is the case, then what does she hear her own name as? It's quite simple really, it was Worf.

Yes, Worf. She was even aware of the meaning behind it.

All her life she knew that she only really existed to be beaten in battle. Not by everyone, of course, only one person. Why? You might ask, while she didn't.

It was because someone needed to show just how strong this enemy was. It was obviously really, why she was so well known, so skilled. Why in Beacon she was the only student ever seen to easily beat four opponents at once even though she was certain others could manage it just as well.

It was so those faceless people watching could see just how outclassed she was against an enemy.

That enemy was Cinder Fall, and the only person whose name she heard and spoke exactly as it should've been.

Because Pyrrha Nikos was a strong character, a warrior fit to wield some miraculous power. She was kind and sweet, and those faceless people adored her and even in death complain about her non-existence in the rest of her friends adventures.

She was doomed from the start, the Worf to the overwhelming power of Cinder. Why else were her achievements so openly mentioned, why else were past achievements or skills from others barely touched upon? From the very start she had been strong, the strongest of her peers even, so for her to be beaten with very little effort?

Well, that was her Destiny in the end wasn't it? That was the reason she existed. From the very start Pyrrha Nikos was to lose only a single battle, all in the name of demonstrating the power of Vale's foe.

* * *

 **It's not been more than a day or three since my last update, but I found this little story both amusing and an easy way to segue from what was essentially a Theory fiction to a story Fiction (Which will be next chapter whenever that is). Being as this is both in one. The theory behind it, as i'm sure you'll have noticed, was that Pyrrha was remnants version of Star Treks Worf. It's a common theme in adventure stories, which RWBY is above all else, a strong character from the start easily bested by a new foe.**

 **Both Worf and Pyrrha are characters in shows that are only ever really described as "strong". We're shown this through fights with grunts, CRDL in RWBY and nameless characters's in Star Trek. Introduce new antagonists though, who then challenge and defeat those strong people easily and... Well, you can figure it out right?**

 **It's story short-hand, it's a little lazy but it works.**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Your fellow writer.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Never JNRR**

 _This one's a bit rambly, and more than likely incredibly out of character. However considering most, if not all, of these one-shots are written at like 2 in the morning and started as only a single sentence (Which isn't usually even the one you see first) you can understand. Anyway, i've usually written with the main thing goal being "If I like it, at least one other person will" so it's really a none issue. So, here's hoping another person likes this little story!_

* * *

Ruby Rose would never be his leader.

Lie Ren respected a select few people, he trusted even fewer, and he'd stake his life for only three. Truly since the destruction of his and Nora's hometown he resigned himself to a life of almost complete solitude. As complete as could be with his best friend always at his side anyway.

He had been fortunate to get the teammates he did, along with the only partner he would ever accept.

Pyrrha was soft spoken but determined, kind to a fault and was rather adept at dealing with Nora's wild side. She provided something Nora had never had before, a female friend in which she could confide the things she couldn't him. Pyrrha also knew when not to dig into things, to allow privacy. He could never have spent four years with someone like Ruby or Yang. He liked them both well enough, trusted them to watch his back if needed, but they would see a secret and dig it up. One out of a selfish sense of curiosity and the other from a innocent one that had yet to be tamed. In fact he liked and trusted all of RWBY, considered them friends he would try to help and protect even called upon. But he wouldn't have wanted any of them as teammates.

Jaune was equally a blessing as their leader. Ren did not like the limelight or decision making at crucial moments and Nora was well aware she would struggle with the weight of such responsibility. Jaune, for all his faults, acted well under-pressure. He wasn't the smartest but he didn't need to be, when push came he made his decisions with laser focus and with tactical prowess rarely seen in those their age. He allowed Ren his space and made an effort to both accommodate and get to know his only other male teammate. They didn't need to speak often, and he was well aware it might seem odd to others but they really were the brothers neither ever had. It helped that more often than not, Jaune was just as good with Nora as Pyrrha was. His reprimands were light but still impressed upon the girl his seriousness. Nora never made the same mistake when Jaune pointed it out during training.

Even if the boy wasn't as well trained as them, he saw things from his position as leader that they could not see of themselves.

When both Ren and Nora told them as much of their past as they were comfortable with, they didn't get looks of pity or meaningless apologies. They got difficult admissions of their own.

A blurted reveal of false transcripts and a hesitant feeling of hate at being a champion.

They bonded more that day, a day where they did absolutely nothing different but came away closer.

Pyrrha's death, brought them closer still. The grieved together and then separately, before finally returning to each other determined to not lose a single thing more. Nora had lost some spark, Jaune his innocence and he lost yet another family member to a monster. Though this one wore the skin of a human and rode no horse. Still, that day changed them all.

Nora clung to him more, he clung back in his own way, and neither knew what to do about the growing hatred and rage their leader was burying beneath his smile. He did not cling to them, they would return the gesture gladly if he did. But Ren could understand, if he'd lost Nora instead? He'd be the same. Though Jaune didn't possess the same romantic feelings he had for his own partner, Jaune had trusted Pyrrha in exactly the same way Ren trusted Nora.

Still, Nora had resolved to be their leaders emotional backbone and to offer him the comfort Ren's personality struggled to give. In turn, Ren would be the pillar to which they could both rally around. Which all lead to this trip to Mistral of theirs, to this current discussion of a new team name.

Ruby was a good enough teammate on their journey, bright and optimistic. But he would not allow the name JNPR to lose that one letter. Team JNRR was a fine name but it seemed to much like replacing something. RNJR, that was much better. It was too different from JNPR and that was fine. Because they would never again really be JNPR.

Jaune was still his leader, Nora still his partner and Ruby was a fine enough teammate, and if she gave orders in combat he'd carry them out. But Ruby would never be his leader, nor his partner and he would never allow her to even seem like she was replacing Pyrrha.

Ren was a selfish person who respected fewer people than before, trusted even less but would still give his life for only three. Deceased or not.


	9. Chapter 9

**A Grimm Persona**

 _"I won't stop, I won't say I've had enough"_

* * *

"Welcome to the Velvet Room!"

Those words changed Jaune Arc's life.

The man who'd spoken was a strange looking fellow with a sharp and long protruding nose, his eyes wide and bloodshot alongside a smile that seemed natural while still appearing stretched by fishhooks at the same time. A being that appeared to only take the image of a human but didn't quite grasp what made up a person.

Then there was his Assistant, a beauty in her own right but unnaturally so. She stood just beyond normal human perception which gave her an almost otherworldly aura. Her piercing Golden eyes held both strength and kindness behind them while her silver hair and alabaster skin made even the Velvet Rooms dim lighting shine off of her. Both simply stared at him for a moment, the man's unflinching smile and the woman's observing gaze unchanging, while he took in the room.

Steel walls and ceiling similar to one of Remnants many Airships, the floor covered with a lavish circular carpet. Befitting the rooms name it was a dark purple that made it seem more like a kings throne room. A large observation window on one wall that revealed a reddish sky with thick and rushing dark grey clouds. At the rooms centre the man sat behind a mahogany desk, more purple trills and accompanying desk lap. The woman stood by his side, a book held to her bosom with a single slender arm.

Jaune's position a good 15 feet from them was decidedly more spartan with only a single wooden chair that stood in stark contrast to the man's comfortable wingback.

"I am Igor, and this is my Velvet Room. You've a nasty fate ahead of you, i'm interested in how you'll overcome the ruin that is to come"

Igor's too large smile and near psychotic eyes did not match the old man's pleasant tenor. A face that would be more suited to an enigmatic bass than the wizened voice he spoke with. The words themselves only confused the boy.

"... My fate?"

Jaune's expression only showed a small amount of his confusion, eyes and lips otherwise unchanged from his somewhat neutral gaze. It was the Assistant that answered him, while completely ignoring his question.

"You who posses the power of the Wild Card will soon come to awaken your power. My Master and I greatly look forward to how you overcome this first hurdle... and to witness the bonds you form along the way. You may call me Beaufort,and I shall assist in your growth. For now, wake up... We shall see you again soon"

* * *

 ** _Day 1 - Early Morning_**

Jaune woke up back in his temporary accommodation straight after in absolute certainty that it had not been a dream. Though he didn't have much time to dwell on it being as it was his first day in a new school. He would find out what had happened soon enough, so he would prefer to focus on one thing at a time.

He was a second year transfer student, shipped off from home because of an unfortunate happenstance... he wasn't particularly fond of thinking about the reason exactly but it was only for a year anyway. Still of all the schools he could've been attending he'd never imagined it would be the prestigious Beacon Academy. It rarely allowed in those that didn't possess something that could be nurtured into greatness whether that be a great sportsman, politician, fighter, artist or supposedly even a spy. Jaune was a pretty average guy, if he said so himself, he didn't have some special talent per se. He _could_ keep his cool under almost any circumstance but that in itself was only helpful when accompanied by other traits. If his life was a video game he'd say every single one of his Social Stats was at their base level.

"You're awake at last"

The strict tone of his guardian caught his attention as he descended the stairs from his barren attic room. The woman was tall, blonde and for reasons beyond his comprehension wore a tattered black cape over her white dress shirt. Glynda Goodwitch was her name, she was also a teacher at the school he was attending. Just why she'd taken him in for his year long transfer had never been explained but he was at least grateful.

"Hurry along now! I'll take you to the school this once, but you'll travel like all the other students come tomorrow, understand?"

He nodded in silence and followed her out the door. The strict woman smiling only slightly at the fact he didn't attempt to question her. It wouldn't have mattered either way to Jaune though, he was still too caught up thinking about the Velvet Room despite his unspoken declaration to focus on schol only.

* * *

 _ **Day 1 - Morning**_

"Jaune Arc, I hope we get along"

He cast his gaze around his form room, all the people who he'd spend his mornings with for the days registration. The majority were little more than black silhouettes as far as standing out went, but two caught his eyes. A ginger haired girl whom he'd been assigned the seat beside, a window seat much to his own enjoyment, and a younger girl in front of him who had clearly been skipped ahead a year or two. The Ginger girl, whom leaned over immediately as he sat down and introduced herself as Nora, was practically vibrating in her seat as she excitedly whispered to him all through class. He barely paid attention to the days starting lecture, too intent on listening to the excitable girl beside him. He'd barely taken his seat by the time she'd claimed they were now friends and compared to the cold shoulder he'd seemed to have gotten from the rest of the students it was a welcome surprise.

"You like Pancakes?"

He'd only asked because she was currently mumbling about them, he'd managed to gather that she was prone to tangents that she couldn't quite keep in her own head. He sweatdropped without changing his external expression as she turned to him and began speaking animatedly about a completely different sort of Pancake than he was used to. After all, fluffy pancakes? To him a pancake was a tiny thin sheet of batter with sprinkled sugar atop, not these thick things she was speaking of.

"Ohh! Ren is going to love you! You both act kinda the same... Except you don't seem very tired... Are-are you a Robot!?"

Jaune Arc was slightly concerned for his mental health right about now, but he couldn't help but feel he'd learnt a valuable lesson in Patience while listening to Nora.

* * *

 _ **Day 1 - Lunch**_

It was with some shock that Jaune found himself literally dragged from his chosen seat in the lunch hall, a great deal of food from his plate and onto the tray. It made him wonder what level of Skill he'd need to have as to not cause such a mess in future. His captor had taken no issue with the spilling of his lunch and simply continued to drag him by the hood that poked from beneath his Uniform Blazer. It only took a few moments before he was lifted bodily by the surprisingly strong Nora into a seat beside a disgruntled looking white haired girl. For a moment he wondered if she had any relation to the woman, Beaufort, from the Velvet Room but dismissed it immediately considering the lack of shining gold eyes and that other worldly aura. Without a missed beat, he speared a piece of chicken from his tray and waved a hand in greeting.

"Nora was right" a snickering Blonde girl commented "You're completely unphased by anything, aren't you?"

He flicked his eyes around the assembled group, fit for 8 people but two noticeable place's were left empty. Two either side of the blonde, after one particular gap sat a politely smiling Red-head. She seemed perhaps a year older than the rest of them but otherwise not out of place. On his side of the table was the girl similar to the one from the Velvet Room on one side of him, Nora on the other and beside her an eastern looking boy quietly munching on a salad. The only one at the table using chopsticks also. When they caught eyes he felt a quiet bond form almost immediately as both of their steady unruffled gazes returned to the meal in front of them without any words spoken.

"Yeesh, now there's two of 'em"

The blonde's comments were easily ignored by everyone else at the table but Jaune decided now at least would be a good time to introduce himself. He put his Knife and Fork down, cleared his throat and stretched a hand across to the pouting girl across from him.

"Jaune"

The others, save Nora, brought their eyes back and listened into what the two were saying.

"Yang Xaio Long, you can call me Yang!"

The blonde girl beamed happily, taking his hand in firm shake before scoffing down more of whatever the hell it was that was piled on her plate. It didn't look even close to what he or anyone else had ordered and she looked slightly uncomfortable eating it but he didn't bother to question. He figured it was home cooked and that the person who'd cooked it wasn't very skilled. He simply nodded and spoke once more.

"You seem unsurprised"

He was speaking of course about the way he'd been deposited at the table without any form of warning. The Redhead third year was the one to answer.

"Ah, yes, well. Nora is wont to do as she pleases. You aren't the first to meet us in such a way. I'm Pyrrha Nikos by the way, a pleasure to meet you"

There was a strange sucking in of breath from all around him but he didn't particularly care. Instead he nodded and politely smiled at her greeting and returned to his meal, also ignoring yet another shocked gasp from the white haired girl at his side. Pyrrha took a moment before she spoke again a more friendly tone of voice than the one previously used.

"I suppose I should introduce the rest of us too, I'm sure you remember Nora" he turned his head to smile at the beaming girl sat on his right "Next to you is Weiss, then there's Ren beside Nora... There are usually two more of us but Ruby is apparently looking for her dog, Zwei, and Blake is no doubt in the library"

Jaune caught the eyes of the other two people, Weiss and Ren, before greeting them both with a small smile and a nod of the head also.

The rest of Lunch and the school day passed in relative quiet.

* * *

 _ **Day 1 - After School**_

Giant Bi-Pedal black Wolves were not something he'd imagined coming across on his way out of Beacon Academy, nor was the distorted and suddenly twenty times larger red castle version of his school. Yet, that is what stood before him now... Plus the Black and White dog that had perched itself on his shoulder. He'd been trapped in this strange distorted world for all of 10 minutes before he'd been threatened by one of the same wolves in front of him. It had caught him unawares, Ambushed him was more like it, and he'd been quickly surrounded by three of the things. It was, as one might imagine, a short fight. He'd been bleeding out, struggling to drag himself away. The thought had come from nowhere.

' _I refuse to die! Screw that!'_

The feeling that had overcome him at that moment had been intense. He'd felt a burning in his heart, as if something was trying to burst from it. He'd scratched and clawed at his own skin in pain, digging at his flesh until he'd felt something cold. Metallic and cold. He'd pulled with all his might, no idea what exactly possessed him to do so, only knowing that if he pulled whatever it was from his heart he'd be able to fight and survive. A rusty sword and bulky scabbard were the last things he'd expected, but the weapon felt comfortable in his hands. It was heavy, but he was fortunate enough to possess at least average strength and thus was able to hold the thing surprisingly naturally once he'd struggled to his feet. A comforting woman's voice had spoken in his head once his breathing had calmed, a serene melodious sound that somehow didn't hide an intense bloodlust that was also there.

 _'So you finally release me? Very well, I shall conquer the enemies of god before you!'_

That first fight was a blur, he couldn't even recall how those beasts had been defeated. He was still feeling pretty weak at the time.

That all led up to this very moment, with another Wolf thing staring at him and a Corgi perched on his shoulder. A Corgi that was _Speaking!_

"What are you waiting for!? Kill that Shadow!"

Jaune raised an eyebrow, gaze focussed on the beast that had yet to attack. Just why it hadn't done so was a question he didn't wish ask. Instead he went with the obvious.

"How?"

The Corgi growled in his face for a moment before answering in a slightly nervous snarl.

"You're a Persona-User aren't you!? Bark for it!"

He didn't know what a person wielder was exactly, so he called for the only thing that was out of the ordinary besides the strange landscape and creatures.

"Come, Pope Joan!"

The Sword from before materialised in his hand, scabbard still rusted to the blade keeping it from being drawn. That said, with it's weight it would still be a good enough weapon. There was that voice in his head, whispering to him gently but still with that underlying lust for battle. Holding out his rusted and sheathed blade, he decided to mimic the words of that same voice.

" ** _Kouha"_**

His body moved on auto-pilot, as if he'd always known exactly what to do when calling out that word. He stood straight and pointed his weapon at the beast like and golden light burst from it. Three wisps of golden energy, only slightly larger than Dragonflies curling their way through the air in an intricate and mesmerising dance. They struck the beast softly, barely even a harder than being hit with a ping-pong ball Jaune would wager and yet... And yet the beast fell on it's back as if struck by a mountain itself.

"Yeah! Take that you Cur!"

The Corgi yipped from around Jaune's ankles, before rushing forwards with an excited yelp.

"Watch this Human! This is how you leash a downed enemy. An All-Out Attack!"

Jaune found himself watching little more than a blur as the Corgi somehow bounced off of thin air, slamming it's cannonball shaped body repeatedly against the helpless heap of beast. 4 seconds was how long it took in total, and to Jaune's utter incredulity, though it did not show much on his face, the Corgi landed on it's hind legs and posed like a muscleman. It was many parts disturbing, while slightly amusing at the same time.

That was how Jaune was introduced to the world of Persona's and the Reverse Beacon. It would also be the beginning of a tale fraught with conflict, friends and a mysterious long nosed man that watched as someone plucked their strings. Before all that though, he had only one response.

"I guess your Bite's worse than your bark"

The Corgi groaned in dismay.

* * *

 **Sorry! Really, really Sorry! I promised i'd have a Bioshock/RWBY crossover on the way, though I forget and am too lazy to check whom I promised that too, but I got distracted. I've been playing a** _lot_ **of Persona 5 (in fact I bought a PS4 specifically to play it and the Crash Trilogy). So, there is a Bioshock crossover coming to Differences, but it'll be a bit longer yet.**

 **Some notes on this story however.**

 **1 - While you might think "Cur" is a piratey term, it's also used to refer to an aggressive or sick Dog. In case you were wondering why Zwei the Wonder Corgi used that to refer to the Beowulf.**

 **2 - I have genuinely been considering turning this into an actual full length crossover.**

 **3 - If I were to do what note 2 described, the social stats would be: Skill (Proficiency), Patience (Kindness), Knowledge (because I can't think of a better term), Determination (Guts [and also because I finally got round to playing Undertale]) and finally Charm (because again I can't think of a better term).**

 **4 - If I remember right Igor's assistants in Persona 4 & 5 were named for characters from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. That is also why the Assistant in this crossover is called Beaufort. **

**Well, I hope you liked that brief cross over.**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Yourfellowwriter.**


	10. Chapter 10

**By Sea**

 _A Bioshock/RWBY crossover requested by one of the reviewers. It's short, not really meant to showcase a deeper world or any combat, but it was to show how a Bioshock cross-over could come to work. All the information needed it there, from when it's set (game wise rather than exact date), to an understanding of what Jaune was, has become and a hint of what he would become had it continued. Hopefully, it's not a bad little short..._

* * *

Jaune Arc wasn't quite human, nor was he quite monster.

But in a city like Rapture, the definition between the two was often blurred. For what made a man a monster? His looks? His actions? The status of his birth?

Rapture was a city built on science and freedom from the state. Where things like morality were merely shackles to bind great men and women from achieving their fullest potential. Where you worked for yourself and gained for yourself alone, if you wished to climb the backs of others you could- so long as you remembered that those backs that you tread on were fully prepared to stomp right back if the opportunity arose.

Jaune was not one of those climbers, nor was he a ladder for others.

He wasn't sure what he was, if he were perfectly honest. His life before was a mystery that until now had never bothered him. He'd had a job, though even that vague word wasn't close to what it truly was. Responsibility implied a status, job implied choice, desire implied feelings and need implied instincts. For the majority of his existence he'd had none of those things, that only changed after the death of his Little Sister.

For any other of his sort, that would mean either instant or excruciatingly slow death, his body rejecting everything and failing or fighting onwards for a few agonising days in an uncontrollable "rage". Rage was also not the right word, it also implied feelings of some sort of which he had none, but to the outside observer it would appear as such. To others, the death of a their Little Sister would lead to an unfocused killing spree to any that crossed their path be they enemy or ally.

Jaune supposed he was lucky in that regard. He felt nothing towards his Little Sister, just the same blind "need" to protect them at all costs. Perhaps it had been a mistake in how he was "made", for despite being a human at some point he'd been re-forged into something else, but he hung around longer than expected and yet did not entire the "rage" like state some others had. In fact, if anything, scientists had likened it to more of a "guilt" induced shut down of all faculties.

Jaune did not require sleep, food, water or anything else that humans needed. He could still metabolise food and drink, their effects still beneficial for his bodies healing, but he could potentially survive with none so long as he never took damage. So, with nothing more to protect; his body went dormant.

As a prototype to a new line of "Daddies" known as Huntsman, the scientists saw his dormant state and found opportunities. He did not care, at the time he genuinely _couldn't_ care, his life, such as it was, had no importance or meaning to him.

Jaune Arc was not a monster, but he wasn't human either, so his first thought upon re-awakening after who knows how long was both odd and understandable at the same time.

 _"Then what am I?"_

* * *

Attaching a new bond to a Big Daddy that had lost its Little Sister wasn't unheard of, and usually met with complete failure, but with the Huntsman line it should've been impossible. They were not built to take new Sisters, especially as they _were_ built not to lose them in the first place. More weapons and Plasmids than any other Big Daddy, as well as possessing speed twice that of the Big Sister model harvesters, should have made Little Sister death a statistical impossibility. It did not, of course, because arrogance was a common trait amongst the scientists and inventors of Rapture, but the son of the late Suchong had learnt from their mistakes.

Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine died from their own arrogance, as well as a golf club and needle respectively. Sofia Lamb had suffered the same fate from her own daughter, just as Andrew Ryan had because the "Savior of Rapture" was not nearly as smart as she thought she was and had failed to learn from the mistakes of Ryan. Suchong Jr. was not arrogant in his abilities as a scientist, and was thus obviously surprised when a test of something he thought was doomed to failure worked.

Six new bonds with a defunct and failed Big Daddy connected easily, made even more surprising by the fact he'd co-opted one of the 12 Little Brother's to see what would happen and it also connected. 6 Little Sisters and one Little Brother all seamlessly forming that strange bond between not-quite children and not-quite monster.

He watched from the monitoring station as the slumped body of Huntsman Model - J_4R3 (specimen - Jaune Arc) twitched and stood. The things arm reaching down to grasp at its odd assigned melee weapon, a sword/shield combo. The other rising to the back of its neck in a motion he'd never seen a Big Daddy make before. Suchong Jr. was not one to particular care about the tools made to protect the not-children that gathered ADAM, but even he found the Huntsman Prototype's movements confusing.

The thin, but incredibly strong, divers suit of the defunct model hugged the lacklustre body of what was once a teen boy. Suchong Jr. once again found himself questioning why the suit had been designed to be so much less bulky, but he couldn't deny that none of the things strength was lost because of it. The circular helmet, lifted straight from the same manufacturing line as that of the Big Sisters, tilted slightly. The blueish light that shone from inside the helmet dulled slightly, the head tilting, as the thing stared at something out of camera view.

Suchong Jr. pulled his chair closer, intensely focusing on the coming meeting between the Defunct Prototype and it's seven new charges.

* * *

 _"What are they?"_

That was what Jaune thought, the not quite monster focussing on the seven sets of glowing amber eyes that were padding towards him in the low light. None more than two feet of the ground, but they bobbed up an down as if the owners of the eyes were skipping. Slowly his Auditory systems began to boot back up, first came the crackling static and sound tests that consited of a few different tones seperately across both ears, the real sound. Giggling and humming approached along with those eyes that was both incredibly odd and yet fired of signals of familiarity in the remains of his brain.

"MR BUBBLES!"

The cry of a name he'd long forgotten in his dormant state, the faster pace of rushing feet and gleeful whoops caused him to twitch minutely. Seven children bursting from the fathomless darkness to pounce upon his frame in giggling excitement. He remained motionless, just letting the tiny creatures crawl around his suit as if they weren't even there. No urge to defend himself came, so he didn't. That was how the not quite monster operated before, so it was how it felt it should operate now. He was given no signals that these tiny things were a threat to him, so he ignored them.

"Come on Mr Bubbles!" the one currently balanced on his shoulders whispered kindly, as if talking to a teddy bear "let's go play!"

He turned his head slightly, not disturb the thing in the least, to stare into it's eyes. A girl, he realised. The shortest of the group, her glowing eyes peering back through grimy lense of his helmet. She was wrapped in a long bit of red cloth, a bit of curtain from a near by theatre, and he short black hair was flecked with bits of dried blood that gave the impression of highlights. Two others grabbed a hand each and proceeded to drag him along, something he did not reject or make a move to reject. On his left was one with whitish hair, only slightly marred by dirt, and on the left was a boy. Almost indistinguishable from a girl due to his age and long black hair that had been pulled back into a pony tail, but he knew it was a boy somehow. There were four other weights across his body, none of which made movement harder at all, each gripping different parts of his suit and using the various hose's and outlets to give their feet purchase.

 _"They are Little Sisters"_ his mind finally supplied, a brief pause and a unexpected system update before more was given " _one of twelve Little Brothers_ ".

He did not feel the same "bond" that he did with his original Little Sister, but their was something there regardless. His systems were still booting up, so much was missing from the not quite monster that he wondered how he could even function. He had access to his Melee Weapon, his sound and video systems, even the Auto-Regen Vita-Chamber system was active but for some reason, much more was missing.

Hacking protocols were currently deactivated, as were the underwater systems that allowed him to move under extreme pressure. On top of that, only one Plasmid was active and it's weakest level at that.

"ohhh" the seven whispered in awe all of a sudden. The not quite monster having been paying little attention to the things around him "look at all the Angels Mr Bubbles!"

What had once been Jaune Arc, did not see angels anywhere in this dilapidated and leaky restaurant...

 _"A room of corpses... Little Sisters and Little Brothers are gatherers"_


	11. Chapter 11

**The Game**

 **This is less a proper chapter and more an outline of a future one i'd be interested in hearing opinions on. Mostly the two [Gamers] traits.**

* * *

Jaune Arc's eyes remained locked on the air above him, bright and wide. The Breach had left many injured and recovering in the infirmary, himself included if only for the night, but that hardly mattered much to him right now. Not since he'd woken up anyway.

Oh, he'd often dreamed of waking up one day to have suddenly discovered his semblance. Fantasised about just waking up one morning, flinging his hand out and throwing fireballs, or tripping up and find that he never hit the floor because he was, in fact, flying. What he'd not imagined though, was to wake up to his semblance _telling him what it was!_

 **The Gamer has been unlocked - The Abilities defined under this unique Semblance can be found on the next window. Do not fear embarrassment, when interacting with the UI. time pauses. Tap [X] to view next screens.**

Jaune wasn't quite sure whether Semblances even could inform you of what they did, abilities born of ones soul probably should be self-evident to it's user once discovered (or rather that's how those who have discovered their own describe it) but to have it literally tell you was a bizarre if novel experience. His friends could learn from his Semblance apparently, he'd never been all that great with reading between the lines and his friends seemed to very much prefer to leave things ambiguous when speaking with him. Still, excitement bubbled up within him as he lurched forwards to press the close button. A new pale blue screen popped up a moment later, but reading it took some of the wind out of his sails.

 **Gamers Body - Level [Maxed] - Your body may be real, but your connection to it is not. Just like a video game character, you are incapable of feeling pain. Instead you must rely on your Health Gauge to inform you of your status, forget to keep your eyes on it and it's game over before you can realise. On the plus side, all attacks that do not confer the [Knockback], [Knockdown] or [Stun] varieties of Debuff cannot move you.**

That was both a blessing, because 'yay! Gain with no pain!' but mostly, he already had enough trouble keeping an eye on his Aura already. At least the pain of being struck was something that usually reminded him to check. Hesitantly, he pressed close once more hoping the next screen might be something to balance that danger out somewhat; it was not.

 **Gamers Mind - Level [Maxed] - If inflicted with [Fear], [Rage], [Confuse] or [Brainwash] varieties of Debuff Gamers Mind will will take control and force the appropriate response. After all, if it's a Game Mechanic why make it so it can't affect you?**

Now, he felt he was allowed to start disliking his Semblance. There was an upside though.

 **Loot Box - Level [Maxed] - No pay, no gain. Money and Items summoned from the void, gifts to encourage growth left behind by fallen enemies. Lien from all killed foes proportional to their level, Cursed Items from Grimm and Non-Cursed from Human/Faunus. Health Potions, Mana Potions and more. (Cursed Items can carry Permanent Debuffs so be sure to read the descriptions carefully!)**

The final screen at least was purely good, and he was happy with it.

 **For surviving this world for so long without Aura and/or Semblance you are automatically raised to Level 20. Your Skill Points have been distributed automatically based on how you progressed. Refer to the [Skill Tree] tab for reference and to assign future Skill Points.**

For the next 30 minutes, Jaune Arc stared into space. Unsure whether his Semblance had just made his life harder or easier.

* * *

 **Honestly this is quite rushed and probably quite boring but it's a slight twist on the Gamer model stories that I myself haven't seen before. Mostly it's the Gamers Mind aspect of these stories that bugs me. I mean, they'll say it counteracts things that affect the mind but then, like, two chapters later have an item drop with a negative mental status effect. It drives me mad, why even bother to give the item such a thing if it's not a Game Mechanic. You've introduce a perfect way to introduce a High Risk/Big Reward system in to the story but then immediately drop it.**

 **In RWBY fanfiction, it's usually Grimm Masks or the like. Imagine though, a really tough battle that it looks like might kill the main character but he has two options. Flee and fail what could be a lucrative quest** _or_ **don a mask that could boost their stats enough to win but that would impose a lasting negative effect (lasting but not permanent if you wish). A Berserker Rage perhaps, in which Area of Effect attacks are stronger and impose more frequent status effects but have a higher chance of hitting allies too. Or a Confuse effect that drastically lowers accuracy but triples or more the main characters attack power?**

 **It's such a narrow view of Gamers Mind but all people seem to do with it is have some half arsed moral quandary about the main character worrying over being able to kill so easily. Which i'd have no problem with, if it wasn't always the same thing. Wah wah, I just killed that guy and I feel really guilty about it but Gamers Mind is forcing me to be logical about it so it looks like i don't care even though by making such a big deal of it i'm contradicting myself wah wah. Logical thinking and being emotional are not mutually exclusive.**

 **Gamers Mind, if you want to actually apply it as it would affect a video game character would actually be quite the opposite of how people write it. It doesn't protect you from mental effects but instead guarantees your actions if inflicted. Get inflicted with Fear, and you're more likely to run and hide instead of fight for example. Just like in a game.**

 **Man, I ranted there... Sorry, i've just been thinking about Gamer fics tonight and how I'd write one.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Some Semblance of Power**

 _Really wasn't sure what to title this piece so, sorry for the lame title. This will likely have a part two at sometime soon, because this is part of my notes._

* * *

A Semblance is the outward appearance of ones soul, but it is only a sliver of said soul. A tiny insignificant fraction of one's being, a subtle hint to what lies beneath the skin. It does not truly reflect the entirety of oneself and Jaune Arc knew this well.

His Semblance manipulated Aura.

On the surface it seemed a useful and helpful ability. So long as he could touch another's Aura he could boost it to Aid healing or bolster defences for a short time. But a Semblance is only a tiny fragment of insignificant size compared to the whole. His Semblance could help people but, Jaune Arc wanted to be a hero purely for himself. Helping others was just a fortunate byproduct. He wanted to be useful, to be respected and admired. He didn't want to be weak and bullied and ignored. He wanted power for selfish reasons but that would undeniably help others too. He wanted to be useful and not a failure, and his Semblance manifested at the perfect moment and as the absolute best option. There were no true healing Semblances after all, but his got as close as they came. It would help him achieve his dream, and it wasn't like he didn't want to help others either so it was a double plus.

He was happy with that for a time, short as it was.

Jaune made no habit of lying to himself, he understood his own soul better perhaps than most knew theirs. Ozpin had called it a gift once, before he and Oscar vanished, but in such a way that it had confused him. The Melancholy had been clear even then. He understood now though, that all gifts are just Glass Cases around curses. Handle those gifts recklessly and the curse is unleashed. Pyrrha's skill was a gift, the fame that it caused that took away almost all true connections were the curse that gift concealed. Jaune Arc knew precisely who he was, and underneath his desire to be a hero was the knowledge that not all heroes were well known, not all heroes are wholly "good" nor are they heroes to everyone, and certainly not forever. No Human or Faunus was entirely good, in fact; darkness dwelt deep in the souls of everyone. Some kept it locked up tight refusing to acknowledge it, others embraced it and others still, others like him, balanced both the light and the dark within them.

He could manipulate Aura, what could be used to heal could also be used to hurt. With a touch he could weaken ones defences, he could twist someone's Aura in on itself to kill. Aura was the manifestation of ones will, ones heart and soul, it was as life itself in many ways. It had certainly become the symbol of it after all.

He could manipulate Aura.

He could manipulate life...

It didn't take long for the world to draw the lines once the war broke out in full. Lines that separated him from both sides.

He was a piece in some twisted chess game that had lasted eons. At first a Pawn of little value, incredibly useful if placed correctly or a perfect sacrifice to gain a better position. Now he was a Rook. Powerful and a piece that is almost always a loss to be avoided. But in this twisted game where the opponent could steal pieces to join their own ranks, it was also not a piece to be allowed to leave said ranks. Both sides wanted him, but he was far from the most powerful, the most useful. So he became a threat and boon to both sides...

He didn't even question his side at first, of course he would stick by his friends, prove he was a hero. War disabused him of that notion.

War changes good men, and when it gets desperate, when good men are twisted and backed into a corner they make the difficult decisions. Sometimes they aren't good ones.

They wanted to use the same device that had ripped apart the soul of one Maiden and butchered his Partners in an attempt to create the next one. That machine had ruined Pyrrha's Aura even though she was only in it for just over a minute. He had felt it happening.

The air around that machine had always felt wrong and he always found his eyes averting from it whenever he was near it.

They wanted to use it again, to snatch his Aura away in the hopes of improving it for their plans.

So, he ran. Left Atlas and it all behind and steadfastly refused to die to that monstrous technological marvel. That was when the Glass Case shattered.

Along with the Aura's of those that tried to stop him leaving. He wouldn't join the enemy, but he refused to bow down and die like that to something so inherently wrong. And then he understood himself better, because he and that machine had something in common.

They manipulated Aura, life itself. He all but had solitary control of the very essense of existence on Remnant. And those he'd followed knew it too. They wanted to make more Maidens. With Oscar and Ozpin who knows where, Ironwood had seen it the only viable option. His death could facilitate the splitting of the Maidens powers to countless Huntresses. He would butcher the souls of a number of girls and women to win this War. Jaune Arc did not want to die, and his choice saved people from who knew what fate awaited them.

So he made his own plan, and drew his own side.

He experimented, trained and wandered the globe. The war was slow, he had time. He learnt his limits and gained strength few could match, until only one year later he finally managed it. He could steal Aura, permanently. He tested it on the worst people he could find, people completely lost irreparably to their inner darkness. The guilt gnawed at him even though they were deplorable and unforgivable people, but he got results in the end. He stole their ability to use Aura but not in a way that killed them. It was like closing a running tap to the point only the occasional drop was released and then making sure it could never be opened back up. Just, infinitely more complicated.

The stolen Aura became his own, his reserves becoming so great after a month of stealing that it became permanently active.

It was also the first time he ran into one of his friends. He doubted they were told the truth but the frown and thin lips on his Ginger ex-teammate still pained him. Nora's face had been a picture of hurt, confusion and disappointment. He'd smiled lightly, his face only slightly reclined down so it was still visible. He was sure it was a strange sight to see, an entire bandit camp unconscious at his feet, and he was untouched. Though his clothes were ragged and torn, his chest plate and gauntlets scratched and dirty and worn; so it wouldn't have mattered even if they had managed to hit him.

"You left..."

Those had been her first words, said so pitifully that he was struck by an image of a scared and abandoned child and not the attractive nineteen year-old she actually was. He stayed still, smiling softly as the young women watched him.

He hadn't expected her next words.

"Why didn't you take me with you!?"

She'd not shouted, but bellowed with unrestrained desperation, so utterly lost to a despair that must have been weighing on her for a while. He felt his smile fall. He had saved people by leaving, people who would've been coerced, lied too, into becoming Maidens. He'd let himself forget that. He shouldn't have.

Nora had been one of them, one of those he'd saved.

He breathed out, his smile sadder, smaller but filled with the love he still harboured for all his friends.

"You're with me now"

He redrew the lines once more, because he was right. Nora was with him now.

"Nora... Do you desire the power to end this War and the Grimm with it?"

He could give it to her, easily. She looked confused, but shook her head no and tears filled her eyes.

"I just want to be with you again"

Her whispered words tugged at his heart. He walked silently passed her form. She trembled and it looked like she was about to give up, to simply curl into a ball and watch her life crumble around her. He spoke kindly, never turning back to face her.

"Let's go, I think it's time to return to Vale"

His dear friend, a girl who he'd later found out had been cast aside and deemed too reckless to be fighting on the frontline's with her friends, followed without a second thought. Gripping the back of his hoodie in a childish need to keep him from going to far. Nora had always been dependant like that. Beneath that bluster and cheer was still a scared child who'd been cast aside at a young age and was deathly afraid of it happening again. A child who gripped tightly to everything she gained. For her to have sought for him and not Ren meant something had happened between them.

Ren was like a brother to him, but that would not stop him from stealing his Aura when next they met, perhaps a vicious punch to break his nose along with it. In that very moment he decided that Nora was one of his now. She was one of his people, and nobody else's. Jaune Arc discovered his desire for retribution that day.

Nora never left his side, even when she became her old self again she was rarely more than ten steps away. She made the raids on Bandit Camps much easier too. It was only another month before he'd managed his next mile stone in terms of his Semblance.

He'd learnt to manipulate his Aura in such away as to mimic the Semblances of others. The drain was large, but considering his ever growing stores it hardly phased him. Nora never questioned him about it either, her joy in being needed and appreciated without question or ulterior motive cancelled out her curiosity. He felt bad that he was using her to further his own goals, but he'd laid his cards on the table, a few of them anyway. He told her his plan to steal every last drop of Aura he could before marching on Salem. He told her of what he needed of her too, though she still refused the offer of a power up. His guilt lay in what came after Salem. He wondered of what Nora would think of that.

It mattered little in the end, Jaune Arc knew that he was a determined individual.

Vale was rebuilding after the Attack on Beacon almost three years ago, slowly due to the War but doing so nonetheless. Law was strictly kept, minor infractions punished more regularly. Resentment swelled within the populace and the tensions between civilians and police were palpable. They breezed over Nora's head but Jaune was keenly aware of it all. He felt pity for the people, all of them, but he'd do nothing to help them. At least not that they'd noticed. He allowed himself to appear an easy mark for some of the young homeless pickpockets, the handfuls of Lien they snatched from his pockets he had little use for at the moment and Nora carried the majority of it anyway. No one was fool enough to attempt to steal from a girl who effortlessly carried such a large weapon across her back. The smiles he caught upon the young children's faces when they came away with a few hundred lien was a confirmation that he had made a good choice. He only hoped they were smart enough not to flaunt their gains. Niether the police nor older desperate vagrants would be kind in confiscating it. Though, it would be a lesson learnt if it did come to pass, harsh as it would be. Jaune's sorrow for the people only grew in the knowledge that he was not yet powerful enough to be useful in changing that.

They came upon their destination within a few hours. A shabby hotel with a faded sign and drab brickwork. Neither of them minded, it was to be a place to sleep and nothing more.

"Will you two be requiring a room together?"

The receptionist had addressed Nora in a knowing tone, Jaune having sent the ginger girl to acquire their room. He chuckled when Nora replied. The familiar phrase reminding him of a life gone by.

"We're not... well we are together, but not together-together! Not that he isn't - Urgh!"

The girl cut herself off before taking a breath and centring herself. He'd been helping her keep her cool. She wanted to impress him with her drive, he always told her that nothing would ever stop him from loving her. Just as he would always love all his people, when his group eventually grew again. As he knew it would.

"One room, two beds please"

The receptionist giggled but complied. Moving to hand the keys to Nora but he walked over and intercepted at the last moment. His fingers gripped hers lightly and he placed a small kiss on the back of her hand. An old, rarely used greeting of women. The Receptionist reddened and smiled brightly as he let go.

"Thank you, Miss. Come on Nora, lets get some rest"

The still slightly flustered girl followed quickly, mumbling words he couldn't understand under her breath. She always got flustered when people assumed they were a couple, but he didn't bother to ask her why. Her reasons were her own. Still, he took the Aura of everyone who caused her to feel that way. It only required a single touch, and he'd gotten so good at it that nobody even noticed the sudden drain any more. He had to be better though, quicker and more efficient. His plans required it to be instant. So he practiced every chance he got. Doing so in defence of his dear friend just made the action guiltless.

His Aura grew by a huge amount while in Vale, everyone he touched giving him more and more. Still his goal wasn't Aura this visit, but a particular Semblance rumoured to be in the City. One which would allow him to view the happenings of distant things with the correct focus. Clairvoyance it was called, though it had several caveats to its use and what it could gather. He planned to combine it with another Semblance he'd gained to remove those issues. He found the woman who had it eventually, two weeks of endless investigation leading to a tea house in the outer Docking District. He stole it from the owner while she slept, the elderly woman plagued by her unwanted power finally experiencing a restful night after so long under vivid dreams and nightmares of the world around her. A downside to the ability, that the resting mind activated the power in her sleep. This woman who'd had no desire to fight or to do anything other than live peacefully had still been forced to experience atrocities in her sleep. If she knew what he'd done she'd have offered him all she owned as thanks. Instead he took a set of earrings as payment. The turquoise gems gathering dust would suit Nora well, and he always brought the girl gifts when he had to leave her behind. Even now, with strong promises he'd return to her she still grew distressed with his absence. These were his apology.

Though it had been the next night that had been the biggest event.

The were on their way to the shipyard to gain transportation when a voice had rang out. Loudly and angered.

"YOU!"

He stopped walking but his back was turned still. The sounds of a weapon mechashifting caught his ears and he smiled. There was a heavy thud and a whispered threat soon following.

"Don't touch him!"

He turned and placed his hand on Nora's shoulder, soft smile reassuring the angry girl. He cast his eyes to the would be attacker, her blonde hair and red eyes a sight that was still breathtaking.

Nora's hammer was planted in the small of her back, the enhanced Gravity Dust helping to pin her to the floor.

"Hello, Yang. It's good to you again"

The women snarled and he wondered what they'd told her to make her this angry. He didn't much mind it though, Yang was very dear to him but her opinions were not.

"I'm sorry about Nora, she doesn't mean any harm but she's become rather protective of me you see. I find it quite flattering, really"

He ignored how Nora straightened and positively preened at the compliment, though her eyes remained hard as steel upon Yang. Eager, he would say, for the girl to make a single wrong move.

"What the hell did you do to her, you bastard!? Nora's not like this!"

Ahh, so he has been made the bad guy. Not unsurprising but definitely hurtful. He frowned but remained quiet as his fellow blonde ranted.

"She never would've ran off like that! She'd have stayed where she belonged, with her friends, where she was happy! Not followed after some traitor! So what did you do to her you fucking creep!?" He once more wondered why Nora had sought for him and not Ren but still refused to ask. Instead, he turned to Nora. The girl was trembling in rage, her finger twitching but refraining from pulling her weapons trigger. He addressed her softly.

"Do you want to return, Nora? I would not stop you, you know that right? I wish for you to be happy"

It was Yang who was most surprised by the ginger girls next outburst. The hammer user shifting from angry to distressed instantly, her hands gripping his front hopelessly. Her voice was desperate and pleading.

"No! No, no! I want to stay with you, please don't make me go back, please!"

Her hands gripped his hoodied chest tighter as if to never let go and tears swelled in her eyes. It saddened him that he'd become so integral to her happiness because he feared the day Salem fell and he might have to take it all away.

"Of course, you can stay beside me for as long as you wish. I would never force you to do something you don't want to"

He looked down upon the gaping face of his fellow blonde with colder eyes. Eyes Nora couldn't see with her head buried in his neck and his arms wrapped round her. Yang found herself paling from the look he gave, and she gulped at his next words. Nora didn't notice but the atmosphere around Jaune had grown thick and heavy with a feeling that scared her.

"Nora, can I ask you to fetch our boat please? I need a word with Yang"

The girl pulled back and stared at him reluctantly but complied, her movements more sure of themselves after his grateful smile and genuine thanks.

Nora's Hammer remained weighing on Yang, whose attempts to get up increased. He knelt by her head in a non-threatening manner.

"I was telling the truth. I would never force her to do anything. She sought me out on her own, but i've never asked why she chose me. Nevermind that though, your information is wrong. I'm no traitor, I still fight Salem just as you do. Though, my next action may make you think otherwise. I'm sorry Yang, but your dream must end here..."

He placed his hand on the back of the girls head and all she had became his. The sudden rush of Hunter level Aura slightly disorienting. Yang flinched but made no other reaction to the loss. It took only 5 seconds, but still to long.

"I've taken your Aura" he whispered in her ear gently, stroking her hair in a soothing manner "you'll never use it again. I had been prepared to let you leave with it, even though you tried to attack me. Alas, you made Nora sad... I cannot let that go unpunished. I'm truly sorry Yang... when Ironwood asks tell him, tell him I'm exactly like that despicable machine of his. Tell him that if he tries to repeat his plan again that I'll come for him first. And Yang? You truly are dear to me, and even if you can't see it right now, I am only trying to help"

He stood and took the hammer off her and waited as she stood. He expected the blow to the face, but his Aura mitigated the damage and Yang only succeeded in turning his head. She howled as her fingers all broke from striking the equivalent of solid steel.

He walked away when she crumpled to the floor sobbing and cursing his name. He'd taken away her Aura, her dreams of Adventure now impossible. Her ability to aid her friends gone. He didn't think he'd ever be forgiven but it had to be done.

Nora smiled beautifully at him when they met back up. He tossed her hammer at her with ease, the same gentle smile and kind eyes that never seemed to leave his face remained.

He wondered amusedly who'd track him down next. He'd all but declared War on Ironwood after all. Ruby would also be distraught when she learnt what happened.

Nora's thoughts were decidedly simpler. She merely wondered whether his kindness and unquestionable love was her reward for toughing out the harshness of her life.

Jaune Arc was perhaps the strongest person she knew, he treated all creation as if it were his and yet also like a patient father. She dubbed him The Odin in the privacy of her own thoughts. The word of an old tongue from somewhere in Sanus. It was title given to Village elders who somehow succeeded into living into their hundreds. It roughly translated to "Father of a Village". The dad of everyone, the All-Father.

Nora fell in love with him, when he picked up her pieces and rebuilt them so much better than before.

He built her back up without asking a single thing in return, never once losing patience with her. He wasn't like Ren, who had been changed by the war, his too logical thinking almost parallel to the once great General. Both having removed her from service with plans to confine her so she couldn't "cause trouble".

He wasn't like Yang who saw change and assumed it bad.

He certainly wasn't like any of the others she knew.

Jaune's expectations of her were zero, and even when she knew she ruined his plans... he thanked her for trying so hard. No one had ever responded to her mistakes with anything other than reprimands and forced promises to never do so again. Jaune just smiled indulgently, placed a hand upon her head and said thank you... His unspoken words touched her deeply.

Thank you for being you.

Nora found herself swearing to herself that she would follow this man, her ex-leader and friend, to the ends of the world. No matter what happened, no matter what choices he made even those she didn't understand. He was doing the right thing, the best thing for those who he saw, and would someday see, as his people.

Even when the eventual came.

She wasn't blind. She knew that his stealing of Aura had not happened to her yet for one reason. He was getting rid of all Grimm first. She'd still follow him after though, and she'd gladly disappear with him when the time came. Nora would never leave this one man's side, not for anyone, ever. She'd rid him of his guilt the only way she could, the only way he'd approve of; By being exactly who she had always been. She'd do it as Nora Valkierye and no one else.

* * *

 **It's not perfect, but I certainly enjoyed writing this. Especially since it was originally supposed to be a deconstruction of what a Semblance actually was based on the definition of the actual word. (the outward appearance or apparent form of something, especially when the reality is different. Would be the exact google definition. I especially liked the listings of the Synonyms Veneer and Facade that were tied into it).**

 **Obviously i'm also aware that the name Odin probably doesn't _literally_ mean All-Father, but given the direction this ended up heading I wanted something to tie the real world head of the Norse Gods to the systems and like of Remnant. I'm fairly certain it still fits the naming criteria too, but only because I have some vague recollection of Odin being represented by the Sun or something. Eye of Odin, maybe? I dunno, can't remember. Whenever part two of this is done i'll have done a bit of research rather than going off of a half remembered summer where I had taken up norse mythology as a hobby. Being as it was actually part of any educational systems I did, that might explain why my knowledge faded so easily.**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Your fellow writer.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Some Semblance of Power 2**

 _I'm trying to see if I can make this a proper story out of this. Still, considering I'm not a fantastic writer, here's the second part of what might end up only a short story. There's probably some mistakes, as the previous chapter had some some work done it before posting and this one is exactly as it was from my notes. Forgive me for that._

* * *

Salem's Castle was foreboding. The sky a perpetual murky Purple littered with clouds so dark they may as well have been black, all swirling round the jagged crystal structure before him. If he had the time, he would have investigated the substance, because he was almost certain that it wasn't simply Dust.

Nora was jittery at his side, a strange mess of anxiety and excitement. All his actions so far led to this pivotal moment in his plan.

Six more months had passed since he had stolen Yangs Aura, in three he had decided he was indeed strong enough to destroy Salem, and with her power under his control the Grimm would also be eradicated. It had only been a theory for a while, but now he was positive that the Grimm's continued existence was fuelled by Salems. Much like Ozpin, it was a power that transferred. The difference was in the corrupting essence. With his power he could end the cycle, and the Grimm would lose the fuel that sustained them. After all, they didn't eat for food, for they had no organs at all within them. They were just twisted energy with a shell, not even blood to spill. Only swirling red energy in a wispy black shell.

Fortunately the last 3 months were spent training Nora to deal with the vastly increased Aura reserves he'd given her after she'd requested it out of the blue one day. He was confident he would be able to steamroll all of the opposition in a matter of seconds, but after learning Cinder had survived the encounter at Haven his ginger friend had asked to be able to fight her. He had initially been against the idea, but after a moments consideration he gave in. She never asked for much more than extra servings when they ate, not that he left her wanting for much else either way, but this was truly the first time she'd ever asked for anything selfishly. Nora needed more food than most to keep her strength up after all.

No, Nora wished to be the one to defeat Cinder for what she had done to Pyrrha so long ago. His only request was that she spare her life so the people of Remnant could have final say in her punishment. He also didn't wish for Nora to be burdened by killing. She was still pure and innocent in that regard. Salem would be the only death this day. She had chuckled, told him he truly was Remnants Odin, and promised she would listen.

Odin though, he liked that name. For a long second he considered something smaller, just a simple village to call his own. He abandoned that idea after the second was over.

They wandered easily through the infested castle, not even the strongest of Grimm capable of surviving the crushing weight of his Aura. The very thing needed to neutralise the monsters fell upon them with the force of mountains when he was present. It would not hinder the true opponents though, because even the insignificant drops left in those he'd stolen from could combat his Aural presence. He was glad of this, he had no wish to destroy people simply because he was a hundred metres close to them.

The walk was silent, Nora mentally preparing as she walked a step behind, her hand clutching his tattered cloak. A necessity if he wished to avoid trouble from those in the know about his ability.

The door they eventually reached, behind which lay their targets, towered above them. He gave his companion a gentle smile and took a leaf from her book. The doors shattered and fell from their hinges under the force of his kick. No face gathered on the other-side was surprised by their arrival.

The pale, porcelain skinned woman seated calmly before them smiled in greeting. He returned it with a friendly wave. Cinder and her cronies were stone-faced, Tyrian giggled madly and Watts merely regarded some notes he'd been reading from. The other members of their Order dead or captured by Ironwoods forces.

"I must admit" Salem had started, her hands steepled and her smile as kind as his own "that I had expected more of you"

Nora shifted awkwardly, taken aback by the fact neither the man she followed nor their main enemy gave out even an ounce of malice. The others certainly did though, and it gave birth to a scary implication. The power Salem possessed had little use for something so arbitrary as malice. She was a being unto herself.

Jaune replied casually, taking a moment to sit on the opposite end of the table as Salem.

"Yes, I suppose that may be surprising"

There was a moment of nothing, before the room grew cold and Nora tensed involuntarily. Jaune did not.

"Watts" Salem spoke calmly but her voice was dangerous "Stand. Show some respect to our guests"

The moustachioed man looked as if he was going to retort but a withering look from his Mistress had him stood with the others of his order in an instant. Even the unstable Tyrian straightened and stopped giggling and muttering under his breath. Jaune gave a polite smile to the man before returning to his usual gentle one.

"Thank you, impressive company you keep but i'm sorry to say he was making me uncomfortable"

Salem did not miss a beat, unperturbed by the strange friendliness her enemy had. The others could not sense the hatred that rolled off her nor the sorrow from Jaune.

"Hmm, he has his uses I suppose but I can't fault your reasoning. A brilliant scientist but lacking any social grace"

Both laughed light heartedly before Salem continued again.

"That said, you are not here for evening tea, nor do I have the patience to converse much longer. Shall we then?"

Jaune nodded, but raised his hand to halt her move to stand. Those behind her tensed at the slight to their Mistress, but she herself paused and tilted her head for him to continue.

"I hate to impose but my companion desires to fight one of yours personally, might they be excused to fight elsewhere?"

Salem eyed Nora in a calculated manner before directing her gaze to Cinder.

"Cinder, show the girl our training facilities, do not engage her until you arrive. Mercury, Emerald remain here"

The one-eyed woman followed orders stiffly. Jaune would have been worried of a sneak attack 6 months ago but this was not then. Even if it wasn't painfully obvious that they were both being underestimated, even if he wasn't certain Cinder would heed her orders, he knew that Cinder stood no chance. None of them did, without them knowing this battle had been decided the moment they came. He smiled in thanks, and both he and Salem stood.

"Did you notice?" He asked amusedly

They looked at him oddly, while Salem raised a single brow. A large explosion rocked the castle and he smiled maliciously. The look oddly fitting despite his kind nature. After all, the kindest father in the world was a monster when his children were threatened. If he truly was Remnants Odin, as Nora had named him, then Salem had invoked the very same monster.

"I never gave my friend the same order"

He moved like lightning itself, hand grasped around Tyrian's tail. In under half a second the Faunus' Aura was gone and a light blow to the back of his head knocked him out, and into the wall.

Jaune's hand raised above his head, catching Mercury's leg as it decended. The cold metal under his grip made stealing the Aura impossible so instead he spun the young man around and into his female partner who'd been attempting to sneak up on him under the guise of her Semblance. Neither were fast enough to get up from the heap they found themselves in before they had a hand on each of their foreheads. It took a full second to drain both of them however, which left room for an attack from behind. He dodged slightly and let the silver knife pass between his arm and torso. He locked Watts attacking arm between them and another half second later Watts was Auraless too. All three unconscious and battered a further half second later.

He turned to face Salem, her face impassive, corpselike in the way it was void of anything even remotely living. Even her breathing was still, though it likely had to do with the sword sticking from her chest. Salem was certainly still alive, but she was paralysed.

"Fascinating, isn't it? I've never really shown this skill of mine, so no one could know it was possible. A semblance is a particular manipulation of Aura, unique in wave-length to each person. My Semblance lets me manipulate Aura, so if I can get a read of that particular frequency, I can copy it. It's a huge drain on my reserves and I can't learn more than a few at a time but, i've got plenty of Aura to burn and only a few extra skills I need. That beauty right there, got it from some guy with a trumpet, of course I had to take his Aura to learn it"

Slowly Jaune moved forwards, his clone wouldn't last much longer so he reached out and supported the paralysed and dead eyed Salem himself. He stared into those eyes for a moment and sighed, before his gentle smile came back. Genuine in it's meaning this time.

"It must've hurt" he said quietly to the woman "I can't even imagine the pain you must have felt. The people that you had torn away from you... I might not know who you were, but for the sake of those out there that still love you... I'll remove that burden from your shoulders"

He wiped away the single tear that had gathered in the woman's left eye, the fact that she was still stone-faced and completely unaware of that single tear hurt his heart. Salem was an evil that could not continue to exist, but she'd been someone else once. Before this power had latched on and corrupted her. She'd been a child with dreams no doubt, with a loving family. Or he hoped anyway, it would be all the sadder if her life had been miserable before this horrendous power had taken her, not even a chance to find happiness.

"I forgive you"

It took too long to drain Salem of all her powers, and he was subject to her dying moments. It would haunt him, but he would forge onward. Watching emotion bleed on to that porcelain coloured face, the hatred that began to simmer, only to rise in anguished regret. A deep well of sorrow being overcome with a relief so strong he had felt his stomach lurch painfully in dismay. As that woman slowly lost that corrupting power, as the weight of her actions crushed her. The forgiveness of a single person, no matter that it could not wash away even an ounce of her mounting guilt, had made her happy in her final moments. Jaune Arc had no wish to ever kill an innocent being, but that was the price of destroying Salem. Salem was a being that did not exist out of choice and beneath the inherent foulness of her power was an innocent forced into a life she did not want. His hands had long been stained with blood, but never before could it have been called innocent. Those that died while he perfected stealing Aura had chosen to submit to their darkness, the woman beneath Salem had not. He wondered how long she had taken before the power had broken her and locked her away in the deepest corners of her own mind. A witness to the death and destruction her body caused and the only action she'd ever managed was a single tear before she'd been stripped of even that.

Blood ran from one of his eyes in a long thin trail. He had to seal that power somewhere until his Aura could completely destroy it. He found it a fitting sacrifice of himself to honour the innocent that died along with Salem. An eye for an eye, his tear for the one she'd shed. For the new well of wisdom he had, an eye was what he would pay to drink of it.

When Nora limped back into the room 15 minutes after she'd left, Cinder unconscious and being dragged behind her, she felt her heart rise to her throat. Jaune seemed unscathed but, for the way he slumped over a Balcony on the far side of the room looking out upon the twilight landscape, she grew worried. For him, and for her place beside him. She hesitated in her approach. The battle was surely won, the corpse of Salem but a few metres away, prone and strangely peaceful looking, but it was not over for Jaune. She knew this, knew what she'd resolved of herself in her decisions, but it relied on Jaune's choices, perhaps it would be this moment. She placed Cinder down gently, giving care she did not feel but Jaune would've shown. She shuffled up to him nervously but dared not break his revery.

"Is it over now?"

The words slipped out without her meaning to and a single blue eye slid to hers. She shivered, waiting for the reply that would make or break her.

"Do you want it to be?"

The reply came slowly, and with the knowledge she had of him she could hear the hesitance in his even but still kind whisper. He'd always been able to tell what she really meant, ever since she'd fled Ironwoods forces and tracked him down. A tear gathered in her eye, she wiped it away furiously, and tried to stand tall even as she shook her head no.

"Come here, Nora"

She came within arms reach reluctantly, fearful of what his reaching grasp could mean. He scooped her into a gentle embrace and she shuddered.

"If you stay, you know what will happen, right?"

She clutched tighter but nodded against his chest. Her heart beating rapidly, in a combination of the love she felt for him and fear of where this was going.

"I'm taking every last drop this world has, every last ounce of Aura. No matter what my intentions, i'll be seen as the worlds enemy. I'll be hunted, for all the good it would do, and if you stayed... If you were to go, you'd be saved that fate. You can say I was controlling you, they'd keep you under watch for a bit but with the Aura i'd take back from you they'd think I simply discarded you. You could tell them everything you know, you'd get to be with our friends again. You could be happy"

She sniffed, her tears coming thick and fast and her thoughts grew increasingly frantic.

"I'm happy now"

He sighed, leaning his forehead down so it bumped lightly upon the top of her head. He squeezed, running small circles upon the small of her back comfortingly.

"A life at my side, Nora, we'd never be welcome anywhere. You'd never be able to go home. Once my goal is complete, i'm going to disappear, hide away for the rest of my days... heh, maybe i'll stay here, it's impossible to reach without Aura"

She shook her head harder.

"I've been home since you took me with you"

Once more Jaune sighed and she felt her knees buckling.

"You sure are stubborn... but... I suppose, if i'm truly to be Odin, I would need a village. Will you join me in that Village Nora? When it's all over and it's time to disappear, do you wish to build a Village for my, for our, people?"

Nora stopped shaking, her eyes wide and her heart stopped. He wasn't asking for marriage or to start a family, despite how misleading his words were, though she could hardly be blamed for the brief flash of such an image. It took her a moment to remember that, before her mind cleared enough to answer.

"Yeah!" She cried out jubilantly, jumping slightly in place before she stilled. She glanced upon into his clearly relieved face, noting the strange discolouration of one eye but stowing the question for later, shyly. "Do you... Do you think some of them might join us? I-I mean I know that at least some might understand! They might agree, and it would be nice to be with them again..."

She was thinking of Ren mostly, despite how he'd changed and even though she loved Jaune instead of him now, Ren had still been a huge part of her life. She'd leave him to his own life if she had too, perfectly happy with hers as it was, but she'd like her best friend back. Jaune continued to smile as he always did, bringing her head to his shoulder where she buried her nose into his neck.

"It'll be our Village Nora, if you want them then we shall do our best to convince. So long as they make the choice themselves then they will be welcomed but before that"

To her disappointment he unwrapped himself from her and guided her by the wrist towards Cinder. He had her kneel down beside him while he placed a hand on Cinders forehead. The rush was intense, it felt like her soul was stretching. Not painful, not pleasurable, just a powerful feeling.

"You are not a Maiden, the power to transfer will remain within me until it ceases to exist, but you can feel it can't you? The strength in your veins? That is my gift to you. The Fall Maiden will never exist again, but you can do everything she once could. Only you."

Her eyes widened and she stared back at Jaune in confusion.

"But I don't need more power, so why?"

He chuckled and rubbed her head

"It's not about need, Nora. It's about trust. This power is dangerous, it needs someone kind to take care of it, nurture it into something better than it could ever have been in the past. Magic has a place in this world, I don't know what yet and it would be remiss of me to destroy it all until I do. For now, destroying that which fuels the Grimm and it's ability to transfer, that's all the magic I will risk removing. So I trust only you to keep it safe, I can count on you right?"

She still didn't fully understand but then, she didn't need to. Jaune was smarter than her, but more importantly she trusted his reasoning.

"Of course" she giggled "So, Odin? I'm glad you liked the nickname"

He smirked and rolled his eyes, chuckling heartily.

"It has a nice ring to it. Odin... i'll be the Odin of... I'll be the Odin of the Village of Asgard!"

'Asgard?' Nora thought, smiling foolishly at the future name of her home. It was of that same lost language of Sanus that Odin came from. A conjucture of the words "As" meaning missing and "Gard" meaning people. She could feel her smile stretching wider. The Father of the Village of Missing People. For a brief moment she pictured herself at his side. Him as the Odin and her as the Jord, the matching word to Odin but it's meaning slightly different. While Odin meant Father of the Village, Jord meant Mother of the Foundation. A village could not exist without the foundations it stood upon, and no Village could thrive for long without the loving touch of a mother. For every Odin, a Jord was there, for every Jord an Odin.

It was a nice image, but she brushed it aside with little more than a slight blush. Strong feelings or not, Nora was in no way ready to follow such things just yet. They had plans to follow and the rest of the world to see!

"Come Nora, let's give the General a gift basket. Then, we take Mistral."

Dropping of their package had caused a stir among the upper echelons of Ironwoods army. The bound and gagged remnants of Salems forces dropped in the centre one of his forward base camps. Positioned with the use of his fourth and final stolen Semblance. Nora had taken to naming it Bifrost, after a mythical Rainbow believed to have spanned the entire globe during Man and Faunuskinds early history. Due in no small part to the mid-range teleport having the draw back of splitting light between the two points. Rumours spread quickly because of the large sign Nora had spent a good few hours creating. He suspected that the majority of that time had been focused on the small stylised image of him rather than the messy scrawl that read 'a gift from Odin'. Jaune had chuckled when he read it, his real name rarely passed her lips these days. She'd taken to only calling him Odin, and honestly he found he didn't much mind. Within the week it took to reach Mistral news had spread the world over about him. Ironwoods top dogs knew who was responsible for it of course, the image on the sign and their brand new captives complete lack of Aura a sure give away.

* * *

 **There's still a final part to come, something that closes this entire thing off quite nicely; even if I do only say so myself. So, yeah...**

 **For the record, if you haven't already figured it out from the themes and names that have been showing up, well allow me to clear it up for you:**

 **GOD MODE: ACTIVATE**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Yourfellowwriter**


	14. Chapter 14

**A Collection of Failed Ideas (A Semblance of Power is limping along)**

 _Not a proper chapter this time, more a collection of all my failed ideas so far. I've not adjusted them so expect mistakes and plenty of spelling/grammar errors. Also, should any of these idea's strike your fancy I implore you to take them off my hands. Even though they failed, I still know how I wanted them to go._

* * *

 **Fate/Beacon**

Jaune Arcs life was stained in blood. He wandered the globe endlessly seeking out injustice, taking lives to save lives. He gave endlessly of himself in a futile search for a peace that would never come. At 6 he became alone in the world, at 8 he saved his first life, by 10 he'd developed his own combat style, by 14 he'd mastered it. When he was 15 the world knew him as the White Shield and at 16 the Bloody Blade. What was sad is that he'd died that same year, and even when he revived decades later, his deeds were attributed to his old titles. The world thought him reborn, they could never have known he was the same person.

Now 17 in body, and countless more mentally, and he'd lost all hope, because the world was too cruel and too stubborn. The plague upon the lands never retreated, only encroaching further and further, inch by mocking inch. Grimm never ceased, and neither did the darkness in mans hearts. But he was given a chance to truly take that first step towards peace, and he took it.

School was not something he had planned for, but he would attend regardless. That man, Ozpin, had promised him the chance to help with attending being his only demand. He could not refuse. Ozpin was a man out of time, much like he was. Forever cursed to be a leech upon the souls of other mortals, whittling away their life-force till only his remained because the Gods cared naught for what they had written off as mere batteries. Jaune Arc was different, he was bought back while with all his magic and skills, with his noble weapon Crocea Mors. A sword and shield he was never supposed to of wielded in the first place, a weapon that could truly be called Anti-Kingdom if used correctly.

It was strange, arriving amongst the throng of students. His face was too well known, the weapon on his hips too famous. The white sheathe with the golden marks, the once glittering silver blade now dyed dark with blood were a mix of legend and scary story to frighten children. The divide in how people saw him was no stranger, more akin to a close friend, but it never stopped being painful. Whether the masses saw him as saviour or monster was of no consequence, but both meant no one dared approach him.

He could only move forward however, and follow his own path, as a seeker of peace.

Once he'd found it he could finally die. There was no room for him in a peaceful world.

The explosion he approached had surprised him, but he did not hesitate, not a single falter, in seeking to help.

"Do you require assistance?"

He probably sounded robotic, but he'd long ago learnt that keeping his emotions in check was vital when seeking to lend aid.

Neither girl, one in white and blue and the other red and black, was prepared for his intrusion. Both jumping at his arrival.

The white haired girl paled, stepping back in fear.

"I-it's you! W-why are you here!?"

"Do you need help?"

He reaffirmed eyes dull but unwavering. It was the only thing he knew. The white haired girl stuttered out an apology and retreated, all it did was make him realise that she thought him a monster.

He looked to the other girl, quaking in her boots in abject terror. She couldn't even move away from him, such was her fear. He sighed and walked away a quiet "my apologies" as he went.

He stayed away from the crowds the rest of the day, not that any would approach him regardless. When nightfall came he changed away from the other boys. His night clothes lacking, only a pair of thin baggy shorts. They were well worn and all that remained of his full nightwear, he never bothered to replace anything till it became completely useless.

The hall silenced when he entered, they avoided his gaze or stared at his scars. He never saw reason to hid them, numerous and severe as they were cross-crossing over his legs and arms, a terrible tableau on his back and chest. His face remained unblemished fortunately, save for a small one on the underside of his jaw, otherwise he'd probably be seen as a bigger monster. He caught the red themed girl flinch at the sight and sighed for what must have been the 30th time that day. Although he craved interaction, he hated crowds. Too many eyes on him, no amount of exposure to them had ever dulled that feeling.

He approached the only available place left, next to a Faunus girl hiding her ears with a bow.

"May I?

He gestured to the spot beside her, ignoring how her eyes widened at his approach. She nodded somewhat timidly but didn't shy away, for that he was grateful. The others nearby had done so the moment they realised where he would be.

"Thank you"

His smile was small and brief but it was genuine. He only hoped it would ease any worries she had.

He fell asleep quickly, a breathing technique he'd learned early on to allow him to rest easily even in noisy environments. For the first time in years he could sleep without fear of attack, he'd seen the eyes of every student here, none had the resolve to attempt to kill him.

Not that they'd be able too.

Ruby Rose had recognized the Bloody Blade on sight, or rather by weapon. It was as horrid and beautiful as she thought it would be. She'd always had an interest in famous weapons regardless of the type of people who owned them. That said, the boy behind that weapon was nothing like she'd imagined.

* * *

 **Supernatural/RWBY**

"Ah crap..."

Jaune dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the glittering silver short sword that was flying towards his chest. The blessed weapon just catching his cheek, leaving a thin but burning cut along it.

"Goddamn Angels" he muttered sullenly.

He'd met only one good one since the whole "Apocalypse" thing started and even she was a pain in his ass sometimes.

It was her fault this was happening right now, because of all her cryptic bullshit he'd left all his weapons in his car.

To make matters worse, he knew without doubt that there'd be a Huntsman along soon because of all the ruckus. Being within the main city of Vale, it was also highly likely to be one of those bratty Beacon teams. Why the council let them take lead he didn't know, but it made talking his way out of a situation harder because they were immature and eager to impress.

'Tch, trying to earn points by saving people. Scumbags, the lot of 'em'

He scrambled backwards, desperately avoiding the Angels blades attacks. The only benefit of those bastards arrogance was that they never really seemed to take humans seriously, being gods first creations and all. Except he was one of only a couple of humans who should never be underestimated. Even when his was lacking in weapons that could do any real damage, he was always prepared.

Another dodge, this time literally throwing himself on to his back over a desk. The angel stepped forwards, and Jaune smirked. A match flicked out from his sleeve, fortunately he'd made sure it it wasn't a safety match before buying them this time. And struck it along the floor.

He flicked only a few feet away and the oil he'd poured in a small circle lit up.

Blessed Oil, capable of trapping even an Angel inside.

"Heh" he bit out, blood leaking from his mouth from an earlier punch to the face "got you now bastard"

He pulled his gun from inside his denim jacket a fired, his aim perfect, the Angel Blade flying from its grip and out of the circle. He moved to collect it. He'd made the circle small, so the Angel himself was hardly able to turn without coming into contact with the binding flames.

"This won't hold me forever"

The angel spoke. He was possessing an old guy, someone who hardly looked able to walk let alone punch like a freight train. Jaune didn't need forever, he had the blade now.

"Yeah, but you're not gunna be able to do anything for long"

He stepped forward to stab the man, keeping his grip tight. He was about to stab forwards when a gunshot went off.

His hand flew to the side, the bullet hitting the blade, but he kept hold of the sword. His eyes widened in horror as the human made bullet ricocheted of the blade and hit a water line, dousing the flames.

The Angel didn't hesitate this time, blinking forwards faster than human or Faunus eyes could ever hope to see. The beings hand ended up lodged in his stomach

"FUCK!"

Jaune screamed, pain causing him momentarily lose control of his arms, but he kept the blade tight.

"You will accept Michael, Jaune Arc"

The blond gave a feral, bloody smile in response.

"Hell no, douchebag!"

Fighting through the pain he struck, the silvery blade entering the angels chest.

He was always impressed by how angels died, the only time their wings became visible before they burned.

Silver light poured from the beings mouth and eyes, wings stretching out and catching a fire so hot it burned shadows into the ground. Then it was over, and they collapsed. The old guy was dead too, but that was just the way it was. Angels usually took possession forever, save Pyrrha who was too kind for that and allowed her host to spend time with family and friends when nothing vital was happening.

Sad, but at this point there wasn't much he could do. At least the poor bastard was guaranteed a place in heaven. Angel Blades didn't kill regular souls, just Demons, Angels and various other monsters.

He angled his head towards the new arrivals, glaring heatedly at the shocked group of four girls. Trainee Huntresses, obviously.

"You just gunna stand there or you gunna help get this bastards hand outta my gut?"

He managed to grind out.

He passed out not long after.

Ruby Rose was still somewhat in shock when she walked into the Headmasters office with her team. The blond had been too seriously injured and was rushed to Beacons medical facilities the moment they'd called Ozpin for orders. They'd gone into this expecting a small conflict but not two people literally trying to kill each other. Especially not some frail old guy and a boy barely older than Yang.

Ozpin had been oddly interested in the boy, and after witnessing the scene in the infirmary she was too in a morbid way. He was covered in scars, bullet wounds, slash marks, unmistakable signs of horrendous tortures (as in more than one and by countless different people). The quick x-ray scan had shown something even stranger. Every single one of his bones had symbols like the tattoo's over his heart carved into them. The Doctors had no idea how he had survived getting them.

Ozpin had called him a Hunter, stressed it as that and not Huntsman.

"They don't hunt Grimm" he said solemnly and seriously. "Though they can and do, they hunt much darker prey. Monsters that are not talked about, and few believe in. In fact to most of the world, Hunters are little more than Serial Killers. They arrive in a town, kill whatever is causing trouble and move on. However, like you witnessed earlier, these monsters wear the skin of regular looking people quite often. The one you described, I have only heard whispers of but the way it died sounds like an Angel. Before you ask, yes I am serious and no Angels are not inherently good".

* * *

 **God Eater/RWBY**

Beacon Academy had always been Ruby Rose's dream school. For two reasons, the first was obvious. It was the be all end all of Huntsman Academies, the first founded and the one that boasted the strongest and most famous graduates. Oddly enough the second reason had nothing to do with the fact her Father, Mother and Uncle had all attended, but a particular group that was said to be attending there starting that year. If her plans had gone the way she thought they would, she'd have got to (hopefully) meet them in two years. Her skipping ahead that two years was just a bonus. That group were lead by one of her personal heroes, one she'd modeled her own weapon after.

The Hound.

Not much was known about him, not even his real name or appearance, and rumours were wild and ever changing. The only thing people knew for certain was his weapon and that from a young age he'd saved hundreds of lives both alone and with his allies. A lot of people hated them though, but nobody could ever figure out why.

Now here she was, at Beacon Academy, ready to start her adventure into becoming the best Huntress she could be, all in the hopes of making the world a safer place. And with any luck meet her hero. Now if only she wasn't covered in dust from a Dust explosion after her sister ditched her then this would be the best day ever.

"Hey, I'm Jaune"

The sudden voice and hand stretching above her had her previous thoughts flee due to her usual social issues. Awkwardness at it's finest. She still had the mental acuity to control her arm as she took his hand, but her mouth was another matter.

"Aren't you to guy who threw up on the ship?"

She reddened immediately, mortified by the accidental thought turned spoken word. He grimaced lightly but thankfully didn't decide to drop her back to the floor and finished helping her to her feet.

"I-I'm not great with air travel"

The somewhat embarrassed admission had Ruby giggling.

'No! Mouth, why must you betray me!?'

Forcibly taking back control of her faculties, and somewhat regaining her composure she managed to get out what she'd originally wanted to.

"Sorry, that was just the first thing that came to mind. I'm Ruby!"

The boy, Jaune, quirked a smile and gestured with his head for her to follow. Which she was more than happy to do, if for nothing else than to get away from the crater she'd accidentally made.

They walked in companionable silence for a short time before Ruby got uncomfortable. She chose to take in his appearance.

He was tall, with striking blue eyes and a strip of black tape across his nose. A gold, cross shaped hair clip kept his hair tucked behind his right ear while letting the left curl round his face slightly. He wore a a sleeveless skin-tight shirt that, though thin looking, she could tell offered at least some protection from blades or claws. Atop that, buttoned round his neck but not actually worn properly, was a coat with some sort of short cape attached. A mix of black leather and dark blue fabric. There was a damaged logo on the back that could either be a dragon or a wolf but was too worn for her to tell. His feet clad in shin-length combat boots that ended a few inches before his knees and laced all the way up, with slightly baggy dark blue jeans that were buckled near the crotch to keep them from chaffing too much. Most intriguing though was the two heavy looking red and black stripped manacles on each wrist, manacles that looked to be lacking any sort of latch for removal. She supposed that might be why he wasn't wearing the coat.

She did not stare at his muscular biceps and you couldn't prove different! So what if she preferred lithe bodies over bulging ones anyway!?

"So" she started awkwardly, blush minimal but definitely heating her face up "I got this thing!"

She had Crescent Rose activated and tip imbedded in the ground in less than a second but if the action surprised him she couldn't tell.

"A Scythe?" He responded in amusement but she could tell he wasn't insulting it. Mostly because he was currently examining the blade quite intently.

"Yeah" she beamed and with a click of a button the blades end folding away and a gun barrel was pointed at his chest "it's also a customisable high impact Sniper rifle!"

He smiled at her cheering, she couldn't help how proud she was of her baby after all. He chuckled out loud muttering under his breath but she managed to catch it.

"Huh, small world"

It confused her but she wanted to know about his weapon more.

"So- what d'you got? Actually, are you even carrying it?"

She hadn't noticed before, because she was very busy not admiring his arms, but there was nothing on his person that even resembled a weapon. She had wondered briefly if it were the Armlets but there were absolutely no seams on them that would indicate a transforming aspect.

"My weapon? That'll be in my office. It's too dangerous to be carried publicly"

Ruby faltered, teetering on her feet slightly.

"O-office!? You're a professor?"

He seemed genuinely surprised by the question, and a little concerned by how red her face was probably getting, had she really been not checking out a professor!?

"Hmm" he acknowledged with a nod

"But you don't look much older than me!"

That was true, even though he was at least two heads taller he seemed about Yangs age.

"Ahh yeah, that's because I'm not" he replied awkwardly "you see my friends and I were hired to teach a new lesson that has been implemented across all Hunstman Academies. I can't really give you the details just yet, the worlds councils have decided only those officially attending or are already in the know get them. Sorry"

He shrugged nonchalantly but it was obvious he didn't agree with that ruling. She wanted to push, to wheedle the details out of him but she stopped herself. Annoying as they were sometimes, without rules and laws society would collapse. It was a harsh truth about a world such as theirs where monsters that sought out the darkness in a persons heart were a constant threat.

On the plus side, she didn't feel so bad about her not staring now she knew he wasn't some ridiculously young looking old guy.

She might even chance not staring at him again sometime!

'Yang must never know...'

He waved his hand in front of her rapidly re-ripening face to gain her attention.

"Come on then Ruby, you've got an Orientation to get to. I look forward to seeing you in class"

She followed his pointed finger to a set of large wooden doors, before beaming brightly back at him and running off. Shouting a thank you as she went.

The honest faith he subtly imparted in his voice had taken away a great deal of all the nerves she'd been hiding. He genuinely expected her to pass Initiation and become a member of Beacon Academy. It was one thing to be confident in her skills but it was another entirely for someone else to be confident in them. As long as she didn't get cocky, she could do this! She still had to meet her hero and attend that confidential class of Jaune's! She stopped briefly at the door and turned to see him walking off.

'I wonder...'

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

The next two days passed in a blur to Ruby. Initiation had been more trying than even she'd expected but she'd succeeded with the help of her newly formed team. A team which she was made leader of, which was incredibly daunting in itself. All their classes had sped by, except Professor Ports which had dragged on for what felt like hours despite being only one, and now they'd finally arrived at Jaune's class. She hadn't seen him since that day, at least not more than an occasional glimpse of him in the corridors, so she was especially looking forward to this one.

To that fact, she'd rushed ahead of her team in the hopes of briefly talking to him. What she hadn't expected upon crossing the threshold was to see a tiny white haired girl following behind him as he was placing worksheets at every desk. The girl wore a strange flesh coloured dress that flared outwards with similarly coloured shoes that swirled up her legs in a cross-crossing pattern. A smaller version of Jaune coat tied around her shoulders and black gloves that extended past her elbows. Her skin was a heavy tan colour, with a single black horn, innocent red eyes gleefully watching the professor work. Ruby found the massive curl of hair atop her head that resembled a halo to be absolutely adorable.

"Hey Jaune!"

The little girl squeaked at Ruby's shout, hiding behind the blonds legs, shyly peering round. Jaune patted her head gently and turned to smile at the red cloaked girl.

"Ruby. Enjoying Beacon so far?"

He continued to place the worksheets around but she could tell he was listening.

"Eh-hehe, it's been good" she chuckled awkwardly "not sure I like Ports class though"

If it were any other teacher she wouldn't have admitted that, but she didn't think Jaune would scold her for it. He was like her first friend at Beacon, even if he'd never specified it. He helped her up and talked with her after all! That counted for something, didn't it? Plus, considering she was already not staring at his visible muscles, thinking of him as a teacher made her uncomfortable. She was right because all she saw was amusement in his eyes.

"Yes, I've heard about his infamous lectures. Though there is sure to be some helpful information to be gleaned from them. That said" he gestured to the shy girl still clinging to his leg "Phym here absolutely loves them"

He grinned down at the girl, who looked up with the brightest smile Ruby had ever seen. He pushed her forwards towards Ruby, still grinning and mouthing the words 'go on' to her.

Phym fiddled with the hem of her dress before bowing lightly.

"H-hello, I Phym"

Ruby grinned and gave a flamboyant curtsy, attempting and succeeding in getting the shy girl to smile.

"Hi! I'm Ruby, it's nice to meet you!"

The horned girl giggled, but it was at the moment the door slammed open and Yang the rest of the team walked in behind her. Phym shrieked in surprise and was back to hiding behind Jaune's legs. The young man in question sighed in an exasperated manner but quickly got to soothing her. Ruby puffed up indignantly at her sister for scaring the young girl.

"Yang! Stop slamming doors, you scared her!"

Her sister stopped in surprise, a genuinely irritated Ruby was rare. Glancing around she saw a blond boy comforting a small child and she faltered. Sure she couldn't possibly have expected for a young girl to be in the classroom, even the school in general, but she did feel guilty. She didn't get the chance to apologise however because the blond boy spoke up.

"Don't worry about it, Phym is just a little shy when in new places" he turned to the girl and pushed her towards the door. "Why don't you go find Claire or Lulu? I hear they're off to the baths after their meeting"

Phym cheered and sprinted off with hardly a look back, Jaune smiling after her.

"Right, if you girls would take your seats?"

Ruby and Yang listened immediately, Blake only a moment later after she'd finished staring at the door with a light smile. Only Weiss refused to move, crossing her arms and scoffing

"Excuse me?"

Ruby had only known the girl for a few days but she could already see where this was going. Weiss didn't like to be told what to do, moreover she had probably made the same mistake she had upon arriving at Beacon.

Maybe it was petty and childish, but for how Weiss had acted in and after Port's lesson, she wouldn't save the girl from the coming embarrassment.

"Hmm?" Jaune looked to Weiss in confusion for a moment "please take your seat, I'll be starting the lesson soon"

Ruby didn't know it was possible for a person to pale and blush at the same time, Weiss had proved her wrong.

"Y-you're the professor!?"

She sounded equal parts incredulous and shameful, her voice an odd squeaky shout.

"That's me, but considering our similar ages you can all call me Jaune"

Ruby wondered how the boy was able to be so kind when it was obvious Weiss was causing a scene over nothing. The heiress looked like she was going to retort but the doors opening again and the rest of the students filtering in had her swallow her tongue and do as told.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

"Now, I'm sure you've all been wondering why this class has been kept so secret" Jaune stood before them all with his arms crossed and his tone serious. Ruby found herself drawn in by him instantly.

"The various Councils of the world felt that the topic of this class was better kept from the general public to avoid sowing fear. It's not technically a secret, but they'd prefer not to incite unneeded fear in the kingdoms. You will also have to sign the non-disclosure agreement before you if you wish to continue. This class

is optional but what it teaches can and will help save lives. Take your time to read through it and those who refuse or don't think they want to be part of this may leave"

He stepped towards his desk and sat down, giving them time to read. Faint mutterings and discussions rang out but Ruby ignored them in favour of reading the agreement. It was all standard fair for this sort of thing, and it was a more common thing than civilians knew. Just the usual veiled and obvious threats should you break agreement, loss of Huntsman license, expulsion, fines and at worst a prison sentence.

Ruby hardly gave it a thought and signed, Yang not far behind her. Blake was more cautious but ended up signing anyway. Weiss did eventually too but only after reading the document three times and weighing whatever options she thought she had. Ruby didn't mind that she re-read it so many times, they were all taught to never sign anything unless they fully understood it, but to take so long to decide was baffling. She only saw two options; sign a standard agreement and learn about this secretive thing or don't and don't.

Still after ten minutes everyone who was going to sign did, and those that didn't left. Fortunately it was either whole teams or no one, otherwise she didn't know what would happen. Being forced to hide something important from your team seemed anathema to her, even so early into her time in one. Though they did have teams at Signal, they were only for specific class assignments and not for combat.

With that out of the way Jaune returned to the front of the class, a controller in hand that he used to dim the lights and activate a projector. A symbol in the shape of a flower appeared upon the screen, lightly bouncing from side to side. Save for the symbol it was like any other screensaver and garnered no interest from anyone but Ruby. Who grew infinitely more interested at the sight of the Chrysanthemum.

"In the lands northwest of Vale is a barren wasteland where no Human or Faunus dare to live. It's an inhospitable place, lacking any form of plant and animal life, if you paid any attention to your Geography lessons then you know this"

He clicked the remote and the screen changed to show it. A desert landscape with nothing but dilapidated ruins with strange perfectly circular holes dotted throughout.

"We know civilization once existed there, possibly thousands of years ago and only slightly less advanced than we are currently. It's widely believed to be the last obvious existence of a world before the Grimm lay siege. We call this area the Ashlands. However, some twenty years ago an expedition uncovered two things. Some long forgotten sciences that Atlas was prominent in reverse engineering and a new breed of monster, of a new type of Grimm. The origins of both are linked"

Another slide showed a strange metallic looking creature. Like a large Creep but with a long flat tail and a head and jaw built for crushing. Two massive tusks jutting from it's lower mouth. It's feet bearing foot long talons, it was almost bird-like in stance but instead of feathers it was silver metal, black skin and brown fur.

"We call them the Aragami, this one specifically is an Ogretail. It relies mostly on it's powerful Tail, projectile spines and lunging attacks, but is easily toppled with attacks from the side. However, what makes all Aragami dangerous is one thing, and one thing only"

His eyes grew stern and he looked each and everyone of them in the eye

"You would never be able to kill even the weakest"

There was immediate outcry at this, and even Ruby felt somewhat offended but she held her tongue.

"Protest all you want but the truth does not change. Only a specific type of weapon can kill them, anything else would bounce right off. Or worse, be devoured"

Another slide was shown, this time of a group of Ogretails chewing through solid steel with what looked like extreme ease.

"Aragami consume everything, every cell in their bodies does. Everything about them can eat away at you, whether with their mouths, claws or even infecting you with their own cells and eating you from the inside. At best you die, at worst you become one yourself"

The next slide had many in the room gagging, a woman not much older than them writhing on a bed, wrists and arms strapped down. A strange substance bulging her veins black, seeping from her ears and nose. Two tusks forcing their way through her bottom lip.

"This was one of the first victims of the group that encountered them. A graduate of Haven Academy on her first expedition. She was strong, but all it took was a single injury while fleeing to infect her. Barely a bruise but with her Aura depleted she had no defence. It's not known how much Aura can resist the Oracle Cells, only that they can, but without the right weapon all you'd be able to do is flee"

Another slide showed a cross-section of the Ogretail, labels on where best to strike, with what and why. Ruby brought her hand up to which he nodded the go ahead.

"You said only a particular type of weapon could kill them, right?"

He smiled and agreed.

"Yes. Although there are only several dozen in the world right now. You, specifically, might get a kick out of mine though"

He wandered over to the much larger than usual Rocket Locker in the corner of the room, tapping away at the code lock.

"Known as a God Arc, these weapons are essentially Aragami themselves. As such, normal Humans and Faunus cannot touch them without being devoured. This one is mine"

Ruby felt her heart stop.

If Jaune towered over her in height then his weapon was a damn skyscraper. It's haft was his own body in length, no doubt to help support the blade at the top. One which had stopped Ruby from breathing.

It was a Scythe, wickedly sharp and with electronic neon lights across it and on the ballast. Below it a stocky set of two heavy looking plates. She couldn't see it but she knew what was hidden away by them.

"It's him..."

She whispered in awe, her sister giving her the side eye in confusion. Jaune was speaking but she was no longer listening, all her fan-girlish tendencies bubbling up and exploding in a sudden shout.

"It's you! You're the Hound"

Her fellow students were silent in confusion and she couldn't blame them. Jaune's moniker was fairly obscure and only the truly devout weapons nuts had heard of him, Ruby was just more devout than all the rest and sought out information on the people who owned whatever weapon caught her attention from the magazines. It was how she learnt of Jaune and how he became one of her heroes.

She caught his brief scowl before it smoothed over into neutrality, but it had the instant effect of quieting her. She took her seat again in silence, embarrassed and worried she'd just upset her friend.

"As I was saying, these Armlets on my wrists allow me to hold this God Arc and this one only. Controlled using a drug known as Bias Factor which prevents it from devouring me. It's not a process everyone can go through... Well, I'm sure you can figure out what happened to the failures. We're known as God Eaters. Now the hope of this class is to help you learn about and effectively escape each type of these monsters as well as the correct procedure to contact any God Eaters that may be in the vicinity. Now, if you'd direct you attention to the slides again we shall talk about the Ogretail"

Stowing his weapon again, he began the lecture in full.

Ruby enjoyed it, really she did, but she couldn't help but worry about that scowl Jaune had given. She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings or anger him. She meekly copied down her notes, ignoring her Sisters probing gaze.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

When the class drew to a close an hour and 15 minutes later, and everyone was packing away their stationary Jaune addressed her directly.

"Ruby, stay behind a moment" she felt her sister stiffen slightly at her side but neither of them had chance to comment before he spoke again.

"Actually, your team can stay too if they wish"

Yang let out a sigh in relief, but Ruby's worry didn't decrease. She dawdled with her stuff in nervous anticipation, Jaune leaning against his desk with his arms crossed, a tight frown on his face. She approached slowly, her teammates only slightly behind her. She was happy for their support, reluctant as Weiss' was.

"Jaune?"

His eyes opened, powerful blue eyes staring back at her.

"You aren't in trouble, if that's what you're thinking. I just want to make something clear, alright?"

She nodded meekly, eyes darting around to avoid his. He sighed heavily.

"Please don't refer to me as the Hound again. There are very few people in the world I will let call me that and that's because they were dogs like me, ok?"

His voice was stern but she didn't detect any malice in it, only a firm request. It was a little hurtful, though she didn't know why, that he spoke to her that way. Yang spotted this, leaping to her defense.

"It's just a nickname, right? No big deal Mr. Hound!"

Ruby felt her back stiffen up, frigid, glacial eyes staring behind her. Ruby turned to see Yang's large teasing smile frozen on her face.

"That is what I was called when I was a slave and attack dog, do not make me repeat myself!"

Jaune's harsh tone mellowed quickly, replaced with exhaustion and eyes that looked older than they were.

"God Eaters are not treated well, those in the know see us more like the Aragami than Humans or Faunus. We didn't have much of a choice in becoming them and the conditions we lived in were no more than ratty cells. We got only the bare amount of food and drink for survival and our lives were worth nothing unless we killed Aragami. Our Armlets were fused together when not in combat, we were slaves whose only reason to exist was to fight monsters. We were the attack dogs of uncaring masters, only my fellow dogs can call me that... do I make myself clear?"

Ruby felt cold inside but nodded immediately, Yangs smile had fallen and been replaced with shame, even Weiss looked greatly uncomfortable. Blake's reaction was strange though, the most expressive of them at the moment looking absolutely horrified. He continued on regardless, his attention back on her.

"I know you meant nothing by it Ruby, but those times are still an open wound on the hearts of me and my friends. We lost many of our family to Port Arc"

She perked up at that though, disgusted as it made her, he'd revealed something interesting.

"Port Arc? Like God Arc?"

He looked guarded for a moment but released a breath and answered anyway, before she had a chance to back out.

"God Eater training grounds are known as Ports, they're usually named after their owners. Mine was called Port Arc, so I was given the name Jaune Arc. The similar names are coincidental, the owner of Port Arc had nothing to do with the creation of God Arcs"

That was what Ruby was afraid of, there was another student on a team they'd been getting friendly with with that name after all.

"E-erm, there's actually a girl with that surname in our year"

She didn't know why she said it, but if these Port places were as bad as he said then surely he'd want to know about a possible relation in advance. Plus it wasn't like Johanna was a bad person, she was friendly and kind. A great fighter too!

Thinking about it now, she kinda looked a little like Jaune.

"Hmm, I had heard my previous Owner had several daughters"

Ruby found his nonchalant comment entirely relieving, she'd been a little concerned there may have been conflict.

"Why do you still refer to yourself like a slave?"

Ruby whirled around to Blake, her eyes burning with restrained fury. Not at Jaune though, even if she was staring intently at him. Her fists were clenched at her sides and trembling

"Aren't you free now!?"

Jaune was the only one that didn't flinch back, staring placidly at the dark haired girl. He shrugged

"God Eaters still have owners, we'll always be slaves. We were lucky though, our current Owner is a good woman. Treats us fairly, let's us wander freely, even approved of us taking residence here. We'd fight for her if she asked, she's never had to though. She took a huge gamble and brought our contracts. Gave us a chance to fight for our own future. I get why you're angry though, but we aren't like you"

Jaune's eyes flickered upwards briefly but it seemed only Blake realised what he was referring too, judging by her sharp intake of air.

"You'll free yourself someday though, I can see it. Now, it's about time you get to your last class. I'll see you all around"

She didn't really want to leave just yet, but a gentle smile from Jaune soothed any lingering worries and she followed after her dysfunctional team.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Johanna Arc had an adopted brother once, a fourth cousin on her fathers side whose family died not long after birth to be exact, a long time ago. Her father had seen to it that was no longer the case. Some 12 years ago that man had taken him somewhere and never returned. It wasn't until they'd heard about a facility in the northwest of Remnant called Port Arc that they learnt what had happened. At least a bit anyway.

A report from one of her mothers friends, some Atlas Military General, had revealed her brother had been selected for something called the A.G.E Initiative. A combat training facility that treated it's subjects like slaves. Hypnotism and extreme methods used to alter a subjects memory so they forget whatever pasts they had and replaced them with an orphans history. Her mother had been a wreck for months, it had scared her and her 5 sisters. Two of which were too young to really remember their brother and only had photo's to help picture him. Johanna still remembers the boyish smile he wore when they played together.

She'd missed him greatly, but eventually managed to move past it.

And now, here at Beacon Academy, he was smiling lightly at her class, his eyes roaming over her without a single spark of recognition. A little girl sat atop his shoulders trying her hardest to look like a serious professor herself. If it were any other time she'd have found it adorable, as it was she couldn't get passed the aching pain in her heart.

"Johanna, are you alright?"

Pyrrha, her partner, whispered to her. She'd probably seen the tears she was desperately trying to hide.

"I had a brother" she replied quietly, head hung so Jaune might think she was just writing notes and not on the verge of breaking down.

"My father, he took him away somewhere terrible, we never saw my brother again"

She looked to the side so Pyrrha could see her eyes. Bright blue and barely holding back the tears in them, stinging with joy and pain all at once.

"I just found him"

Pyrrha was nothing if not smart, her eyes flicking to the eerily similar professor and back having originally put the resemblance down to coincidence. Especially given he'd only introduced himself as Jaune, no surname or title.

Johanna nodded, trying to regain her composure.

"But, he doesn't seem to recognize you?"

She was unable to prevent the sob that burst out.

"You alright up there?"

Jaune's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she subtly shook her head at Pyrrha, eyes begging to keep this to themselves.

"Ah, yes professor. My partners just having a coughing fit ehehe. I'm sorry"

It was fortunate that her trying to prevent herself from crying out in the first place had distorted the sound enough to resemble a wet cough. Her shaking shoulders and fist in front of her mouth only helped sell that image.

"Ok, no worries then, and please just Jaune will do. I'm your age after all, be pointless to call me professor"

Pyrrha nodded in acknowledgment with a friendly smile before looking back to her partner to see a tumultuous and watery one on her face.

"Thanks" Johanna warbled. She spent the rest of the lesson caught up in memories she'd thought long forgotten, playing hide and seek with Jaune, learning how to bake with their mother, dancing with their older sisters and playing simple baby games with their younger sisters. Of happy times before he was lost to her.

It's funny how even after all this time, all that time hurting and moving on, she still loved him no less than she did back when they meant the world to each other. Back when their universe didn't extend passed their family.

Somehow it made it hurt more that she'd lost him in the first place.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

She finally got a moments peace when they retired to their dorm, the eyes of her teammates both supportive and probing. Jaune's lesson, her brother's lesson, had sapped her of all her energy. She was thankful that they'd had combat class before Jaune's lesson and not after like team RWBY. She didn't think she'd be able to focus after the emotional toll she'd just experienced. It didn't stop her from explaining what happened to her teammates properly though. They'd become fast friends and she already trusted them enough for this. So she told them everything she knew about those days. They were silent afterwards, thinking. Ren broke that after a few minute with quiet questions.

"So it's likely that is when he became a God Eater then?"

She nodded but he didn't say anything else at first, just stared at her intently until eventually

"Do you wish to speak to him?"

She wasn't sure, if she were honest with herself. She was told long ago that his memories were altered, only having them proved just today, but she wasn't sure if she could find the courage to confront him with everything. What if he refused to listen? What if he did but didn't want anything to do with her? What if he did? Her family had barely handled losing him once and now he was some frontline fighter against beasts that even trained and experienced Huntsman wouldn't win against, their hearts would surely shatter if they lost him again. Was it even a decision she had the right to make?

"I-I don't know. I want to, I want nothing more than to have my brother back, but what would he want? He doesn't remember us, he might have a new family now! You saw that girl, she treated him like her dad! Is it wrong that I don't know whether I want to take him away from that or not!?"

She couldn't help growing hysterical, even the thought that she might be willing to shatter whatever family he'd made for himself for her own made her sick but at the same time was something she definitely wanted. It didn't matter that the two families could coexist, she only wanted hers whole again. It hurt so much just to think it, made her indecision so much harder.

"Don't think about your family or his, think about you" Ren cut across calmly "what do you, specifically, want?"

She already knew that, that answer was obvious. She wanted to be by his side again, she wanted to find joy in doing simple things with him again. Baking, dancing, watching the broken moon float effortlessly across the sky on clear nights. She wanted the days when he wasn't just her brother but her best friend and the one that understood her best. The one that would tease her and gamely take the shoulder punches she'd throw at him. All that was obvious, any girl would want those things back if she lost them. Still...

"Just-Just give me a few days to think. This is a bit much right now"

They nodded kindly and in understanding and she was immensely grateful. After getting changed for bed she curled herself up beneath the sheets and let herself be overcome with the full weight of everything. Most of the sadness had been cried out already, leaving mostly joy.

'I'm so glad you're alive' she thought with happy tears beneath closed lids 'I've missed you Jaune. I love you'

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Her dreams that night featured him heavily, reconnecting and bonding, doing little else but normal everyday things together. Shopping, watching tv, cooking and staring out at the stars from their home's roof. Not once did anyone else show up, it was only him and her.

Ruby didn't often wake up early, usually requiring at least two minutes of sheet pulling and frustrated demands before she slithered out of bed. Like a snake. This morning however had her rising with the sun. Her shower didn't kill much time so she chose to leave a note and grab an early breakfast. The Cafeteria wasn't very crowded, plenty of empty tables but after grabbing her food a flicker of White and Blond hair caught her attention. With a, completed necessary, quick application of her Semblance while careful not to spill anything she was stood a few feet away from Jaune and Phym. The girl was playing with two small toys out of her Cereal box, a small green frog with a too big head and a matching pink one, and Jaune was chuckling along to whatever story the girl was acting out with them. Ruby wondered briefly if it was possible to overload her brain with adorability.

"U-uhh- Hey, can I join you?"

Jaune looked back, smile in place and tapped his hand on the table top next to him in affirmation. She was quick to listen, sitting down and pouring milk into her own bowl.

"Good morning Phym"

The girl looked up from her toys in surprise, to caught up to have noticed Ruby's arrival. She smiled widely and waved before going back to her game.

For a few moments Ruby enjoyed the peace and serenity Jaune's table offered, a far cry the loneliness she'd have felt had she sat alone. Jaune was browsing his scroll, she only took a quick peek to see it contained what looked to be a lesson plan, and Phym playing her game; it all felt so warm. Or maybe that was just her, y'know because she was sat pretty close to her, definitely not, crush.

'Who am I kidding? Yang must still never know'

"So, you looking forward to the demonstration today?"

She certainly was, Goodwitch had told them two God Eaters would be sparring to show off the their capabilities and to give a brief showing of exactly what a God Arc could do. Still she wanted to know if he was as excited as her.

"I suppose so" he replied somewhat distractedly as he was trying to get Phym to finish her breakfast "it'll be a good chance to stretch my limbs. We've been away from the Ashlands for a month now and fighting Grimm is a bit too easy when you have a weapon like mine. Need to keep in shape somehow"

Ruby giggled at the casual boast but could hardly blame him. Though stocky and a little unwieldy looking, God Arcs were no joke. Even if the fleshy black tendrils that were visible on parts were a little unnerving.

"And you Phym?"

The Darker skinned girl cheered out a yes, still stubbornly refusing to touch the half eaten apple next to her empty bowl.

The rest of breakfast passed with light conversation and half-hearted attempts to curtail Phym's various demands for attention.

"You said your friends are here at Beacon too right? Where are they?"

Jaune glanced at the clock on the wall quickly before answering.

"Keith's probably in the Fourth year science labs experimenting, Zeke, Hugo and Ricardo are out on a mission for the next week and Claire Lulu are out in Vale with Hilda Amy. They said something about a party but nobody wants to tell me anything. Not even Phym will let me on the secret, will you?"

The little girl mimed zipping her mouth shut and throwing away the key which left Jaune to sigh in mock sadness.

"What about you? Where's your team?"

She didn't get the chance to answer however

"Right behind ya Jauney!"

Ruby span so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash, though Jaune was much more sedate as he turned. They were met with the entirety of teams RWBY JNPR. All carrying various trays of food.

"Oh, good morning!" Jaune answered pleasantly not the least bit ruffled by the attention, Ruby envied him that "would you like to join us? Phym come sit beside me for a bit"

The others graciously accepted, smiling as the girl skipped to sit beside him. Yang took her place beside Ruby, Johanna awkwardly sitting beside Phym while the others sat opposite.

"So Teach, who's the cutie?"

Yang had always had a soft spot for adorable children and considering the previous day Ruby was willing to bet she was trying to make up for scaring her.

"Ah, of course I suppose she never introduced herself to you, did she? Go on Phym, say hello"

The girl wilted at all the attention but a brief stroke of her head from Jaune had her courage rear up.

"H-hello! I Phym, n-nice meet you!"

The group smiled in return but didn't reply back, instead returning to their breakfasts. Ruby saw the frown form on his face.

"Introduce yourselves"

His voice didn't rise, it wasn't harsh or scolding, any inflection was missing. The subtext of what was otherwise a fairly polite tone was lost on Phym who looked to be patiently waiting for something. The annoyance in Jaune's voice was not lost on the others though as they hastily swallowed.

"Aha, I-I'm Johanna! Lovely to meet you ehhe"

Phym smiled up at the female blond beside her

"You pretty!"

The leader of JNPR sputtered and blushed a thank you, inwardly thankful when someone else responded.

"I am Lie Ren and this is my partner Nora"

The partner in question who had a bulging mouthful and thus unable to speak, waved energetically leaving Phym giggling.

"And I'm Pyrrha Nikos, Johanna's partner"

The champion extended a hand awkwardly, as if unsure how to properly greet a child but Ruby was pleasantly surprised when Phym shook it vigorously.

"Weiss Schnee, charmed"

Weiss stood briefly to give a small curtsy but otherwise barely acknowledged the girl. For some reason the halo headed girl was entranced by Weiss' grace.

"Blake"

The black haired girl smiled lightly from atop her book but went right back between the pages.

"And I'm Yang, but you can call me Big Sister!"

Instead of answering Phym turned confused eyes to Jaune who rolled his own quickly

"Like Hilda or Lulu"

That seemed to resonate with the girl who got up and rounded the table to investigate Yang.

"Yay! She soft and smell good too!"

This had Yang instantly squealing and hugging the girl. Jaune seemed to tune them out with practiced ease, turning his sights on the red head.

"Pyrrha Nikos, I think some of the students have been muttering about you. I hope you've not been causing trouble"

The way he spoke was light and teasing but there was a smidge of concern buried in there too. Pyrrha blushed prettily, scratching her cheek lightly as she responded.

"A-ah n-no it's- it's nothing like that"

Weiss responded back, her tone somewhat indignant

"Wait, do you really have no idea who she is? Have you been living under a-urk"

She cut herself off at the suddenly dead eyed stare of the God Eater.

"Uhh, right. Yes, yes of course you wouldn't know. Pyrrha was the top of her class at Sanctum and a four time winner of a Mistral based tournament. I'm sure those students were just discussing her various feats"

Jaune took it all in with a nod before directing his eyes to the uncomfortable champion, who was doing all in her power not to appear so.

"Hmm" Jaune hummed "I imagine it must be difficult when so many people think so highly of you. If you ever need to talk all the staff are available, myself included"

Ruby didn't really understand, but filled that tidbit away in her newly created 'don't let Yang know I'm crushing on a professor' folder within her brain.

Pyrrha certainly looked happy though, so whatever he'd meant must have been a good thing.

Jaune had never known much more than the Ashlands and a cold cell for much of his life, what little he remembered of life before that was hazy at best and entirely missing at worst. Except for a lullaby, a short melodious tune sung by a soft feminine voice.

He rather thinks its his mothers, whomever she was, but for all he knew it could've been a female guard from long ago. They were always the nicest, though only barely and even then only to the youngest of them. He'd always just put it down to motherly instincts flaring up when the young ones would cry out in the night, still unused to the horrors of the Ashlands. Even though they were too young for combat, they were frequently caught on the sidelines of it when gathering materials.

* * *

 **Index/RWBY (Jaune = Accelerator)**

"Tch"

Blue eyes gazed around Beacon courtyard in contempt. Honestly he couldn't quite believe he'd been convinced to come here but then that damn headmaster had offered him fully paid room and board for him and the brat.

Considering it got Atlas off their backs for a few years he couldn't complain... Well he could. The brat was doing that fucking hyperactive thing again. The calculations were instant, and all sound waves failed to reach his ears. He just kept walking forward. Ignorant of everything including the tiny ginger girl in a flowery green and black dress swinging on his arm, babbling away some nonsense or other.

When he finally bothered to allow sound to reach him again it was to listen to the headmasters speech. It was pointless nonsense and he never was very patient.

"Ozpin! Where the fuck is my room?"

The man halted in surprise, clearly having not expected an interruption. Moron should've expected this though so he felt no pity- not that he ever had any to begin with. The Students glared at him but he couldn't give a shit about what these weaklings thought.

"Accelerator shouldn't speak like that, Pennie says scoldingly"

He glared down at the prototype robot he'd- adopted? Fucked if he knew, what was it called when someone started caring for a stray puppy? Whatever.

"He's the fucker paying us to be here, I'm not sitting through some shitty ass speech with these hacks"

A large boy with full armour plate glared nastily at him but before he could do anything that damn headmaster sighed into microphone.

"Yes, yes. Wait outside and a professor will take you both to your dorm. Though, Accelerator, please try to control your language in future"

Accelerator might've laughed at the stunned faces of the prospective students if he could be bothered, they likely hadn't heard what the brat called him. Many were rather fearful, others incredulous and only a few were confused.

"C'mon shitty brat"

He hadn't really needed to say anything, Pennie followed him around regardless but it had become a habit of late. The brat was growing on him, all of those girls were even if the memories hurt, he smirked as he heard the headmaster continue speaking, quelling the clamour he'd left it his wake.

"The Semblance ranking system, whether arranged by rarity or strength always has the same person at it's top. Vector Control, Accelerator. Welcome to Beacon"

He smirked nastily at some of the more cowardly Initiates.

"Sigh! Pennie exaggerates trying not to let her laughter show, now you'll never make friends like the savior"

He balked slightly, remembering the brutal punch from that Winter bitch. How she'd figured out how to get past his Auto-Reflection he'll never know.

"Screw that fucking Heroine!" He shouted instead. That damn woman was the only person he'd ever lost against. He'd not let it happen again. "How the fuck did she even figure out the timing from only one fight, anyway!?"

The doors to the Auditorium slammed shut behind him leaving a room full of stunned students.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Ruby Rose was naturally a curious person, she was also someone who wasn't turned away by bad attitudes either. With an Uncle like hers she had to be. That was why she wanted to meet this Accelerator person. Yang had explained the Semblance Ranking system last night, a scientific list that ranked Semblance types from strength to rarity. Although she had said that it didn't necessarily mean that a person was strong just their Semblance, it was widely believed this Accelerator was essentially top dog. Yang herself didn't believe it, and Ruby too was skeptical, but the mysterious boy had claimed he was being paid to attend. That had to mean something!

Honestly, she kinda wanted to know why that little girl was here too! Ruby thought she would be the youngest but that girl couldn't have been more than 6. Normal Knees seemed a lot closer when she wasn't as stand out as she thought she'd be.

"The fuck are you mumbling at?"

She jumped at the harsh voice, blushing in embarrassment. The boy of her thoughts leant nonchalantly against a locker looking bored out his mind, she hadn't even realised she was walking past him.

"U-umm h-hello! I'm Ruby!"

His beady looking blue eyes pierced her soul, like he was looking through her. Somehow she managed to push past his glaring eyes and her social awkwardness. She thought it was probably because her Uncle often had the same look in his eyes.

"W-what's your name?"

He answered with a scoff and nothing more, but before she could even feel the sting of dismissal a cheerful voice from two foot below even her small height reached her.

"Accelerator doesn't remember Pennie says because he's too shy to admit it! He was only ever called Accelerator Pennie continued solemnly"

The blond boy glared down at the unrepentant child, Ruby found herself confused by it all. Forgotten his own name? That seemed absurd...

"I'm not shy you shitty brat!"

Ruby wanted to tell him he shouldn't swear at a child but the tiny girl beat her to it by instead addressing her.

"Don't worry about him, Pennie declares easily, Mr One Way Road never had friends before!"

The Scythe user found that sad, but at the same time saw opportunity, she didn't have any friends here either!

"I'll be your friend then! What d'ya say?!"

The blond stared emotionlessly back at her before scoffing and turning away. It wasn't a no to Ruby's ears though so she grabbed the boy by his arm and began pulling him forwards to meet her sister. He glared angrily the entire way but didn't try to stop her. She wondered if it had anything to do with the gleeful child on her other side.

"Yay! Pennie shouts happily, a friend! Pennie never had a friend either, lets go play!"

If anything, the boy she was dragging grew rather somber instead- guilty she'd almost say.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Yang didn't know what to think of Ruby's new 'friends'. The kid was alright, all adorable and cheerful like, but Accelerator was hardly the type of boy she wanted around her beloved younger sister. He was so full of caustic anger and foul language and his eyes looked off. Like he'd seen so much he was all but dead to to it now.

She'd tried to corner him before the initiation but failed. No words or subtle looks had gotten to him, the kid had said he was blocking out incoming sound but she didn't believe it. She'd gotten pretty loud after all, he had to be ignoring her.

It didn't matter much though, the idiot was walking to the cliffs without armour or a weapon and it was obvious that the jeans and orange t-shirt he was wearing didn't even have any padding. He was even wearing canvas high-tops for pity's sake, nothing about him screamed ready for combat. He'd fail easily.

That thought lasted until she, her partner, Ruby, the Schnee, a duo named Ren and Nora and finally Pyrrha Nikos and some blonde that looked remarkably like the Number 1 were backed to the wall by an intimidatingly large Deathstalker and a Giant Nevermore. They'd been prepared to move when insane sounding laughter descended from the sky and the Scorpion Grimm was shrouded in dust.

"Tch, fucking thing broke from that?"

Yang almost snarled at the sound of his voice but when the dust cleared and the boney armed blond was visible she stopped herself. The Scorpion crushed and dissolving, and Accelerator stood atop it with one leg bent and hands in pockets. There wasn't a single mark on him, nor was he out of breath.

"Oi brat" he directed over his shoulder and Yang was almost incensed to see that child peek her head up "that other brats here, go play or something. I wanna kill that shitty bird"

The girl, Pennie nodded happily leaping down careless of the skybound threat.

"Friend Ruby! Pennie shouts, let's play!"

Nobody moved save the child, and Yangs anger reached it's fever pitch. Before she could lay into the boy for his careless attitude and endangerment a piercing cry echoed out and black feathers rained towards the kid. 8 sets of feet made towards Pennie too late. She was hidden away by another cloud of dust, nobody saw the single feather fly back up to the sky and narrowly miss the Grimm. Tears began pooling in her eyes witnessing the death of a kid.

"N'aww, Accelerator you said I could play Pennie whines as she wriggles in your grip"

Yang froze again, still in shock from thinking she'd witnessed a child die because of a callous boy

"Fucking brat! I didn't mean- argh forget it, go!"

After another moment a grinning Pennie launched herself at a relieved and laughing Ruby. Yang took a moment to calm herself before turning burning red eyes back to the now visible Accelerator.

With a strangely light kick of his foot against one of the feathers, more a toe tap than anything, it launched upward in an impossible motion. The Blond had tapped his toes softly and horizontally against the feather but it went vertically and at speeds rivalling an Atlas Battleships cannon. The Nevermore died instantly.

"Fuck" he cursed "I miscalculated"

Beside her she heard her partner, Blake, whistle quietly in awe "I guess that explains why his ability is ranked number 1"

Yang definitely saw why too. Made sense that her type of Semblance was ranked at 98 now, too, if there was overpowered crap like that near the top.

"Yeah, Pennie whispers sneakily interrupting the girls, Accelerator's the best!"

"Shitty brat don't eavesdrop on people!"

Yang jumped when the blond was stood in front of them and finally snapped at him.

"Don't swear in front of little girl"

He glared right back, and she almost took a step back from the look in them.

"Fuck off"

She made to punch him but he caught her hand with ease, despite the fact his arms had no visible muscle mass whatsoever.

Casually, as if commenting on the wether he made a statement that took the breath from her lungs.

"Wanna know what happens if I reverse your blood flow? It ain't pretty"

"Bad Accelerator, bad! Pennie scolds as she hits you for scaring the pretty girl"

"Stop it you damn brat, let's get a fucking move on. Bring your friend if you want just stop bothering me"

Yang stayed stock still her arm still outstretched and shaking from the threat. She'd been in some dangerous situations before but she'd never felt as close to death as she did in that moment, and she'd lead her sister to three Ursa when they were kids. She had no doubt he could've killed her if he wanted to, which only made her more sure she didn't want him around Ruby.

When she finally cast her eyes to her sister she saw her pulling on the dangerous boys arm like he was harmless. She could see he was annoyed but he didn't do anything to stop her. She could hear him swearing still, and Ruby and Pennie scolding him for being a 'stick in the mud'. Yet those eyes, those murderous eyes, never even flickered onto his face again as he let himself be manhandled.

"Why?" She muttered to herself

"He's been through a lot" her partner answered steadily and discreetly "he won't hurt them you know. He's not a good person but he's trying to change. He doesn't like being told what to do, too long spent as a puppet and lab-rat for others"

Hesitant and probing purple eyes met longing amber.

"You know that bastard?"

Blake flinched but answered

"He doesn't remember me, doesn't even remember his name. Why do you think even the headmaster called him Accelerator?"

"Do you?"

Blake sighed and turned her head away, but Yang couldn't decipher the emotion in her voice and eyes.

"Yes, but he wouldn't care and so I'll never say. The least I can do, he saved my life once after all. He saved a lot of lives once, he wanted to be a hero but he ended up being made a villain. I was never able to find out much and I don't even know why I'm even sharing this with anyone either" the amber eyed girl looked back towards the slowly disappearing trio with longing back in her eyes.

"He saved my life" she declared resolutely "I suppose I just wanted you to know he's not a villain anymore, and that no matter how he acts he doesn't want to hurt anyone. His Semblance was a curse once, nobody could touch him or it would hurt them. Imagine that, imagine being unable to even touch your own family, then imagine how easy it would've been for someone to pray upon him. If he's here, he wants to change... Let's at least give him a chance"

Yang thought hard before sighing

"I still don't want him around Ruby"

"You have no choice over who she befriends"

The brawler hated that Blake was right.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

There were very few people that Pyrrha Nikos found interesting. It wasn't because she thought herself better than others though, no it was more that she didn't get her hopes up about others these days. Everyone she meets knows her name, even though she's certain there must be plenty of people out there that don't. Everyone she mets makes a big deal of her skills in combat, even her team gushed in their own ways- though fortunately not much which at least meant she could genuinely befriend them. Then she'd seen that blond that had fell from the sky like a comet. He was harsh and crude and not at all friendly, and he didn't even register her presence when she'd moved to introduce herself. It had taken the little girl that followed him everywhere, strange as that was, kicking his shin to even get his attention. His cold blue eyes showed no recognition and when Weiss had noticed and 'educated' him his response had made her smile. Even though it was caustic and meant as an insult he genuinely saw her as no different from anyone else.

"Tch, she's the same as all you other hacks"

It was a truly strange feeling to find joy in being looked down on, probably an instability of hers, but to the Number 1 (as most referred to him) she was part of a group again. It had been years since she felt like that, like she wasn't on a pedestal. It helped that Pennie had cheerfully declared that he was just being a sourpuss. Honestly Pyrrha felt strange about striking up a genuine friendship with a 6 year old but considering the boy seemed to go out of his way to accommodate the little rascal she considered the girl the official translator of the rough young man. In his own angry near homicidal way, Accelerator genuinely cared for the girl. Sure he swore and threatened but he didn't deny the girl much and nor did he often deny the girls claims.

No matter how much he tried to seem otherwise, Pyrrha could see kindness buried beneath all that rage and dangerous indifference. A kindness that burned strong and warm.

She couldn't deny that he was a truly terrifying opponent though. Especially at the moment.

At the very beginning of Combat Class a vast number of students had demanded to fight him. He'd agreed, which she was a little surprised by. She was incredulous when he said he'd fight them all at once.

Even she momentarily thought it was arrogance even when the strict professor agreed and Pennie declared that he'd do so easily.

Then he'd stood dead centre of the Arena, never once moving, and won. Every bullet bounced back at the shooter, every attempted Melee strike rocketed the attacker away. He just stood there bored with his hands in his pockets. He only moved once at the end, when the 20 attacking students realised they had to work together- not that it helped. They surrounded him, not a degree uncovered, and he tapped his right foot. Just a tap. The rubber floors rippled outwards and knocked every student on their backs. That was when he lost interest, and when Pyrrha realised just how versatile and dangerous his Semblance was. Even more so when she realised it didn't seem to drain his Aura much at all. After all everything with motion had a Vector, from bullets and blades to sound and air. All was within his control.

"How does it work?" She'd asked Pennie in shock.

"He calculates it, Pennie says as she bounces and waves at the boy. He's super smart, he can calculate and adjust any and all vectors instantly, though when he saved me he lost some of that ability so the Sisters take some of the strain now! Pennie whispers at you sadly"

Pyrrha couldn't comprehend that, and chose to ask about these sisters some other time, the level of scientific and mathematical understanding that would require surpassed genius level intellect and to do it instantaneously was impossible. Computers take a moment, infinitesimally small as it was, to answer even a simple sum and this boy can do it instantly. There must be a thousand different numbers and variables required to change the Vector of a single bullet and yet she'd just seen him deflect at least 5 simultaneously.

Yes, terrifying indeed. Even her control over magnetism (ranked 3rd on Semblance Ranking system though fortunately it didn't list her moniker like it did Accelerator's) would be useless. He could easily affect the electric charge needed to repel or attract objects.

"Fucking waste of time after all"

She saw him walk away angrily, all his opponents defeated and in the red.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Johanna Arc had a brother once, a wonderful brother who always encouraged her and made her smile. Until one day, she simply didn't. She still remembers the day he dropped off the map, still remembers all her sisters crying and her parents frantically calling in every favour they'd ever had. Jaune was just gone one day after school, picked up by some Atlas scientists according to the teachers. They'd had incredible forgeries of her parents signatures so the teachers had genuinely thought it was ok, Johanna didn't like it but she hated those teachers a little bit. It wasn't their fault but she needed someone to blame for taking her brother away so she chose them. Once she was able to pull herself together after 6 long months of family wide depression she decided to dedicate herself to finding him again. She trained hard, studied harder and gave up on all of her hobbies and initial career choices so she could have the best chance of finding him. She was now one of the most promising first year students at Beacon.

Her brother was also sat two tables away ignoring the world.

She'd recognized him in the Auditorium but she'd been to stunned to say anything. She'd always thought that the Number 1 was probably her brother but he was notoriously difficult to find. Then there was also his attitude. Gone was the sweet, somewhat goofy, good intentioned boy and in his place a perpetual angry young man who swore constantly and only seemed to (barely) tolerate people other than Pennie and Ruby- whom he was only infinitesimally warmer. The look in his eyes frightened her too much, she was ashamed to say she avoided him. It didn't help that she'd overheard he had no memory of his real name anymore, or that he didn't care about his past anymore either.

She wanted him back, the whole family did and seeing him now only reminded her of the day her father flew into a rage and tried to skewer some Atlas General that had paid them a visit long ago. She wondered if her parents had already known how twisted their son had become.

* * *

 **Shadow of Mordor/War/RWBY - Gravewalker Jaune**

Caught betwixt life and death, not truly alive but not dead either. That wasn't to say he couldn't die, he could, it's just death didn't want him. So he was banished from it and cursed to wander the world in effort to complete a seemingly impossible goal, defeat Salem. That goal led him to Beacon Academy.

"Be wary Jaune. Ozpin carries a similar curse to us. He is a shrewd and conniving man, many eons have made him wary and he is undoubtedly aware of us. His connection to death far stronger than our own"

Jaune nodded in understanding to the Wraith at his side. A glowing ethereal blue and transparent woman, her skin tight across her face. Sunken eyes and lips decayed to reveal teeth. She might have been beautiful once, from the memories of hers he's seen, but now she reminded him of zombie.

His sword flashed once, twice, in two clean slices severing an arm and then the head of Beowolf that strayed to close. The way he was meant that with focus he could erase his presence from the world. The Grimm cared not for dead things, so by momentarily forcing himself over the border he becomes invisible to them. He had a similar-ish ability for Human and Faunus opponents too.

Slipping back out of, what he'd come to call, the Grave Walk he sheathed his sword. It was a tatty looking thing these days, though still wickedly sharp. He never really had the time or the funds for any true maintenance and so only did what he could to keep it in action. Plus on the occasions he looted any cleaning supplies they were used on his other blade. Crocea Mors was a broken sword now, half it's length missing. It's tip a jagged line but it still cut well and with some work he'd learned to compensate for it's new balance. This was his only remaining tie to the family he should have died with but was denied. That days only other reminders were the scar on the back of his left hand and palm, as well as across his neck. They glowed the same ethereal blue as his companion when in Grave Walk, but the odd coloured skin was visible in the normal world too.

They were scars his enemies feared, because if you saw them twice you knew you'd not live to see them a third.

He'd died too many times now to care about the grizzly look of them though.

"Summer" he stated quietly pausing at the edge of the forest to gaze at a steep cliff face, or rather the seven teens about to climb it. The Wraith appeared at his side, her decayed face creased with pain.

"I had prepared myself to see them again, just in case, but it's harder than I expected it to be"

He could understand, Summer had been a mother before she died, seeing her still living daughters and knowing she'd be unable to interact with them must suck. It only made him think of the nine faces he wished to see again but couldn't. Their pains were twisted reflections of each other. Summer the Wraith kept from her family in death and Jaune the Gravewalker kept from his in life. All the people she wanted to hold still living and all the people Jaune did were dead. At least until they killed Salem and the natural order that escaped them was normalised. When they could both move on to the pure world and rest.

He re-entered the Grave Walk, the world darkening and erupting in blue-ish flames. Each of those seven students lit up white except Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose whom he perceived as allies and were blue. He wasn't sure how Grave Walk determined things like that but assumed it was just his mind subconsciously categorising information for him.

He moved to stand amongst them, acutely aware of each of their Aura Levels and assessing any need to offer aid. Fortunately they were tired but unharmed, so he slipped back across to the living world.

They jumped when they suddenly became aware of his presence, the Faunus girl hiding underneath a bow by far the most startled. Understandable really, he had made no noise when approaching. He wasn't even sure if he truly took in air when he breathed anymore, or if his heart even beat.

He nodded to each of them, and turned back to the cliff face. He'd be able to ascend easily, despite how sheer it was and the lacking handholds. Ignoring the looks of confusion he rummaged around in his backpack, withdrawing a sturdy, long rope which he placed over his shoulder and torso like a sash.

"I shall secure a path"

He dashed a moment later, his initial run seeming slow. Until he reached the first grip point and jumped. With Summers Wraith abilities she could Augment everything he did, which included leaping normally impossible heights and speeds. He always left a trailing after image though, giving his body the impression it was smudging across the cliff. It took only 5 seconds to reach the top and he made no delay in tossing the rope down.

If he had ever truly bothered to hide his abilities he might of found an anchor point to support the rope but instead simply dug his feet into the ground and held it. Being deathless meant he hardly felt the strain on his muscles and didn't get exhausted as others might.

The first up was the White Haired girl, she was appraising of him though when she spotted the visible scar that made a second smile across his throat she grew uncomfortable and turned away.

The rest followed not long after, grouped together and talking as he regathered the rope. A quick glance over them, he entered Grave Walk when he thought no one was looking. He left immediately after.

"Hey, we just wanted... to thank you..." Ruby Rose slumped, the helpful boy nowhere in sight. She wondered what his deal was, since she most definitely would've remembered seeing him at some point since arriving at Beacon and yet she hadn't. Those blades on his back, the grips visible over a tattered grey cloak, reminded her of weapons from the War. Though simplistic she'd always admired the craftsmanship. Many a forging technique was lost to those dark times, the crafters back then taught their craft mostly by speech and wrote nothing down, their deaths truly tragic to the blacksmiths of the world.

The loss of Misitrali Steel was a great one, and although the alternatives of modern day are good there was something about that metal Ruby Rose loved. She had a shard of it she'd found in the woods, it was clearly from a weapon too.

* * *

 **Fate Oath Under Snow/RWBY**

I am the bone of my sword

It was an Aria he heard in his dreams every night since he'd found that card. Found wasn't quite the right word, created would be a better one, a forgery to be precise. It was perfect for him, after all everything about Jaune Arc was a lie. His Transcripts, his seven sisters (he had two neither by blood or even of this world now and neither of whom he could remember the names of), his name- his entire existence was a forgery.

Jaune Arc was just a memory of a memory, not even his own. Who he was before was dyed over by someone else, a different version of him. All he remembered was that he threw away everything, the world and his dreams, for one girl. He wished he could remember more than just bright amber eyes. So similar to someone else's he knew currently but possessing an innocence Blake Belladonna's had lost. He wondered if that girl was happy wherever she was.

When he woke up so long ago, the world so drastically different and overrun by monsters he had tried to lock away the power he had once gained. He'd fought enough already, he won and lost everything in the process, he could've lived away from conflict in peace.

He didn't think that girl would love him anymore if he did that though, let another world (or maybe it was the same and this was the result of his choice, he didn't care which) die.

So he sought out Beacon Academy, partaking and learning of the world as he traveled there. He brought a sword and shield, it was cheap but surprisingly well made and all it took was a paint job and he could pass it off as an heirloom. He couldn't fight with it though, it had no previous experiences to it's name for him to copy. He got by that though, by cobbling together basic stances and techniques for the other swords he could copy. Specifically those his counterpart EMIYA had Traced in his long life.

He struggled and fought, experienced bullying for the first time in his own memories, gained a teacher that could help him learn to wield his current weapons and people who called themselves his friends. He made the best of what he could, flirted and joked and acted every part the typical teenage boy...

No one even glimpsed the hollow being he was.

He wasn't deserving of friends and love, not after throwing away an entire world. Because he doesn't regret it, not even for an instant. He may not remember much of that life anymore, but he'd made his wish for that girl to be happy. He couldn't regret that. He never expected that he'd take up his Reality Marble once more. His body was forced into becoming that of the Counter Guardian EMIYA, he no longer needed that forgery of a Class Card to become that forgery of a Hero. So in the middle of a Breach event in Central Vale, he acted once more, that Aria ringing out.

"I am the bone of my sword."

The battleground froze at those words, no students or monsters moving, caught up by the strange mercurial words that seemed to grate like steel and linger on the air. A chill wind blowing through and a bright, white moon flashing briefly into existence where once had been the sun.

"Steel is my body, and fire my blood"

Kanshou and Bakuya formed in his hands, the Yin Yang blades though forgeries like everything else cut through Grimm with ease. They were copies of Blades blessed by gods, their abilities- diminished as they were- still boasted remarkable Anti-Monster stats. Not even Deathstalker Chitin could stop the married blades. He cut and slashed his way across the pavilion, removing every monster in his way so he could stand at the Breach.

"I have created over a thousand blades.

Unaware of beginning,

Nor aware of the end.

Withstood pain with inconsistent weapons,

but my hands will never hold anything"

He paused for just a moment, eyes empty of everything but a desolate hopelessness. He'd not seen his own version of his inner world, that landscape of tombstones disguised as swords, in a long time. He didn't want to see it again, but she would want him to push on. So he did.

"Yet, my flame never ends.

My whole body was still Unlimited Blade Works"

Flames with no heat encompassed him, passing over Grimm and person alike. His team and team RWBY were the only humans enveloped, the rest of the Beacon Teams were still enroute. He saw them flinch and startle, attempting but failing to avoid the flames.

It was as cold and dead here as he remembered. He was right at home.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Ruby Rose could hardly keep her eyes off the sky. In a dark and starless sky, a beautiful full (and more amazingly unbroken) moon hung. She felt amazed and deeply, deeply saddened. The sight of it made her want to cry. The snowy landscape all around her only made it worse. The swords littering the ground like markers, each different on fundamental levels as well as aesthetic ones. Each felt like they had purpose. The snow felt empty, hopeless. It felt like despair and sorrow and a million other things.

Jaune had created all this, she just knew it, this world of swords that had destroyed every single Grimm near instantly in a rain of blades that would've blotted out that sad, beautiful moon. They didn't though, Jaune who had been staring up at it must have controlled them so he could gaze at it uninterrupted.

"Miyu"

He let out that word with a grief she'd only heard from her Father when he told her about her Mum. She wanted to rush to his side but held back. This Jaune seemed so much different from the boy she befriended at the beginning of the year.

"Jau-"

He cut her off by looking at her, his eyes dead and dull and a perfect reflection of this empty place within.

"I lied" he said quietly, lacking in any emotion she could recognise.

"To all of you. Nothing I've told you was true. Everything I am is a forgery, just like everything around you"

Ruby bit back on the hurt and betrayal that rose up in her at his statement, because she wanted to trust him. She forced herself to remember that there are reasons people lie, that she'd recently experienced it with Blake already, that for him to tell them now it meant those reasons were important to him.

"Why?"

It was the only word she could say, but it may as well have been the most important word in the world at this very moment. She ignored everyone else's reactions, ignored their existence entirely because the boy she befriended, whom she'd developed a soft spot for, someone who was precious to her. He looked so hollow right now, she needed to help. He looked back to the sad moon, she copied and nearly cried again when it seemed to glitter and shine brighter.

"I had a different life once" he started "I had a girl in my care, a sister that me and my adopted father took in before he died. She was special, more special than you can imagine"

Jaune paused and a disgusted wind blew across them, a wind that felt like guilt and self-loathing.

"I was a terrible brother, but I tried to change. I tried to give her the older brother she desperately craved. They took her away from me, so I fought for her happiness. I threw away everything I was and wished for her, the entire world. I'd let it burn down to ash, I don't regret my decision, the lives that were ruined because of that choice"

She felt a horrified shiver run up her spine, not only from the story but from the broken teen stood before her. The world around them, it was obvious now, it represented-

"So, the moon..?" Ruby whispered brokenly, tears finally slipping loose to run down her cheeks. They had no effect to the snowy ground. He nodded

"The only connection I have left of her. Miyu. When the fighting stopped I made a wish, for her to find somewhere she could be truly happy. Where she could have friends who care about her, where she could experience more than the same house every single day, where the brother she wanted so much hadn't started out as a coward who refused to see her as anything more than means to an end"

He walked towards her slowly, bringing up a hand to rest gently on the top of her head, softly stroking her hair in a manner that felt too much like a goodbye.

"I refuse to regret my choice. Even though I always wanted to be a hero of justice, to me, my little sister was worth more than my ideals or even the world. Maybe it was wrong, maybe the choice shouldn't have been mine, but I'll not change it. Miyu is somewhere out there, happy and loved. I broke a world Ruby, and I'd shatter it all over again if I had the chance. Just, please, don't hate me too much for that"

Ruby stood shocked, when he walked past her, her hands coming to rest atop her head where his had been. A lump in her throat that felt like it was choking her, because it was a goodbye after all, because he was walking away, because he was hurting so much and there was no way to fix him. She wanted to turn around, to see him. She knew he'd paused when the world fell away and Vale was back, she'd heard his final words to Blake of all people.

"It's hard to walk away from you Blake, you look so much like her. I know you're not, I do, but it's still hard"

Then, he was just gone. Not even a whisper on the wind, she didn't even see him leave. She was still in shock, collapsed to her knees in a barren pavilion with no Grimm insight and the majority of the damage gone.

Her hand clutched at the scroll he'd placed in her palm, vital for entering Beacon Grounds, his scroll.

She thought she would always have him around, he was her closest friend here. Her and Weiss were close but Jaune had become something more to her, something she had been ill equipped to handle given her social awkwardness.

He was gone now.

She cried, and she never forgot the sight of that glittering moon in the dark sky. She understood why it made her sad now. It was happy and bright, but the world Jaune was in was anything but. A world of his own making that left him suffering through the pain and loneliness willingly so his little sister wouldn't have to.

A sister who is forever out of reach much like their own moon.

* * *

 **Trinity Seven/RWBY- Jaune =Arata**

Ozpin was not the only Magic user in Beacon. The man had happened to come across another earlier in the year and recruited him, having him take the name of Jaune Arc.

Their respective magicked differed in use and technique but they drew from the same source apparently. Whereas Ozpin wasn't as connected to that source anymore, and thus couldn't easily replenish what he used Jaune could. Where Ozpin used magic with his body as the medium Jaune used three small books known as Grimoires. Sentient beings that possessed incredible power and unerringly loyal to Jaune. Ozpin had only met one in the flesh, so to speak, but he'd heard the voices of the others.

With the boys unique skills, though incredibly lacking in combat that didn't utilise magic, he "hired" him to attend Beacon as a student. Though the, now, blond boy had insisted that any strange Gravitational Phenomena be relied to him so he could investigate it. Breakdown Events, the boy had called them, could be utterly devastating to the world if they were left unchecked.

One had just occurred, so he'd given the boy the location and excused him from classes. What he failed to mention, however, was that he'd "accidentally" sent the same message to the rest of his team and team RWBY. All of whom had been growing concerned and/or confused by the boys habit of completely disappearing for a few days at least once a month.

It was risky to allow them the chance to discover that magic was real, but he considered it a test run for them. He'd likely have to reveal the truth to them all one day and this might Aid him in figuring out how much trust he could afford to give them.

He watched from his tower as, five minutes after Jaune left, they followed the blond leader.

"I wonder, Mr Arc" he refused to call the boy by his original name even when alone to aid in the boys request to keep it secret no matter what. "What will you do now?"

The boy was good at acting but Ozpin much preferred the blunt and utterly honest boy who lacked any shame in himself and his desires. A person like that was someone Ozpin could trust not to betray him so easily as others had and likely will do.

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

Weiss was growing frustrated. They'd been following that blond dunce into a dense forest for nearly an hour and had yet to see any indication as to what he was doing. Other than walking and apparently talking to himself.

Normally Weiss would seem the sort to not care about whatever Jaune was up to but that was merely a front. While she hated when he tried to flirt with her, she could admit he was a genuine and likeable young man. His constant disappearing worried her, as it would if any of her other friends were to do so. Especially with Blake's recent disappearing act. She was not alone in this feeling, all of the others were worried too. While he was improving at staggering rates, he was still the least talented fighter amongst them. So it begged the question; what was Ozpin having him do? What did Ozpin want them to see?

"We close yet Sora?"

They'd finally gotten close enough to be able to hear him, as well as gaining a clear view of whatever he was doing. Immediately everyone questioned who he was talking too, but before it was even a fully formed thought it had question was answered. A short girl with long bluish-silver hair in a black corset and bow shimmered into being atop his shoulders.

"It should be in this next clearing Master" her voice was light and teasing, though Weiss bristled at the form of address. There wasn't anything wrong with that, the staff of the Schnee Manor House referred to her father and brother in that manner, but coming from such a small girl, and with a decidedly seductive tone rankled at her sense of propriety and decency. Yang giggling did not help.

They lost sight of him for a few moments as he vanished amongst the trees, and when they caught up, she could be forgiven for thinking the world was ending.

They hadn't been able to see the sun in the through the dense treetops but it's light had still reached them. So they could be forgiven for not noticing sooner, especially as light itself hadn't changed.

It was still sunny and warm, but the sun was black.

Black and writhing like a ball of hideous gas, similar in ways to the dissipation of Grimm carcasses. The world seemed heavier and lighter at the same time, her body felt like something was pulling at the seams incessantly. And Jaune stood unaffected, the girl Sora still resting nonchalantly on his shoulders.

"Is it me or have their been more of these of late?"

The boy asked with a sigh, the girl giving a noncommittal shrug.

"Whatever, Let's get to work then Sora, Illia. Reconnect to the Superbia Archive, Excure Thema!"

Weiss could only watch caught between awe and abject _(This one end's in the middle of sentence, sorry!)_

* * *

 **Bleach/RWBY - Jaune is Ichigo**

"Who are you again?"

With those words something inside Jaune broke. It snapped in half like a twig.

Something pressed down on the entire room, heavy to the point of crushing and not a single person save Jaune stayed upright.

Ruby could see a strange white substance taking over her friends face, jaggedly sticking up from around his left eye and slightly curving round his head. It formed from the air, as if that strange weight was turning the Oxygen to a liquid.

The weight increasing and increasing but she was distantly aware that it was affecting their opponents the worst. Emerald was on her knees and hand, the other clutching at her throat, gasping for breathe. Mercury was on his back, much the same, his metallic legs seemingly unaffected by what ever was pressing down. Cinder was trying in vain to rise off bended knee but failing, fear and rage warring in her eyes.

"Heh"

The pressure vanished at Jaune's strange dual tone chuckle but not a single person moved.

A burning amber eye in black scelera under that mask like fragment, raging sorrowful blue in the other.

"Who am I?"

Those dual tones, Jaune's voice she corrected herself, the cackle in them sent a shiver up her spine. She knew she wasn't alone in that feeling.

Jaune gazed around them, but it wasn't quite the gaze she remembered. There was no warmth or love in it, just cold apathy and murderous intent. He turned back to Cinder who'd risen to her feet but froze at whatever she saw in them.

"I don't have a name"

Then he was gone. He hadn't left, he'd just moved too fast for her eyes to track. When he reappeared behind Cinder, who was staring stunned at a suddenly missing arm- dissolving claw rather, it was to gleeful cackling and cruel mocking.

"Oops! You ok there, need a hand?"

Ruby gagged at the cloying hatred that oozed from Jaune, inwardly thankful that Cinders stump wasn't bleeding. Like he'd only cut off a prosthetic.

Emerald and Mercury were knocked out in that disappearing thing the boy had done.

Belatedly, and partially because she only just realised she was still on the floor, she stood. One arm reaching down to help Weiss while Yang, Ren and Nora stood too.

"How!?" Cinder bellowed hatefully.

The black haired Fall Maiden glared, fire erupting in her good hand and from her one eye. Jaune giggled unconcerned.

"I should thank ya, King's finally remembered who we are! He's too rusty though so he sent his loyal stead instead. Che, no matter the world there's always someone thinking their top shit when they ain't."

Then they both moved, skipping across the room- off the walls and ceiling in blurs of motion. Cinder a red swirl and Jaune black and blue, the White of his armour drowned out. Without the use of her Semblance speeding up her perception those colours were all she could see.

Still, as confusing and worrying as all this was, there were still opponents.

"Yang! Follow Raven! Nora, Ren you take the big guy, me and Weiss will handle the other one"

She didn't bother to order Oscar, Ozpins eyes were looking out of his body so she'd leave him to do what he thought best.

They all nodded and moved to engage. She activated her Semblance. Before running to attack herself, she cast her eyes to Jaune and Cinder. With her perception boosted they were no longer blurs, but she was still stunned. Cinder was in an utter rage, littered with cuts and bruises some of which looked downright lethal, and Jaune was unharmed save for some torn and sliced clothing. She moved off to help Weiss with only one final though of him.

'He looks so bored'

 _[Scene change/Time-skip]_

When everything was over, the enemy all lay captured, bar two. Raven had escaped, Yang having lost to her but somehow convincing her to give up on the Relic and Cinder.

Cinder who was dead.

Jaune had collapsed after the deed was done, having some sort of fit. He tore and scratched at the mask that had fully covered his face- skull like with wicked looking horns, before he'd managed to shatter it. He'd muttered something but Blake had heard, and shared. It was fortunate the girl had turned up, they hadn't known the White Fang had been outside planting bombs until it was almost too late. They didn't recognise the word he'd said though, it sounded like a name but not one they'd heard before.

With the bad guys carted off they'd all holed up back at the house they were staying in, surrounding the blond. Waiting till he woke up and answered their questions. He'd woken up two minutes ago and Weiss had pushed aside the tension in the end, sounding cold but their was worry and fear in her eyes.

"Jaune, what was that?"

He looked he in the eye, a heavy scowl that had settled on his face while unconscious still in place.

"You wouldn't believe me"

Weiss scowled back at him, stomping her foot lightly. She hid it well but she saw a flash of a nostalgic longing and amusement in his eyes at the act. She continued to glare and after a moment of debate he sighed and gave in.

"My swords name isn't Crocea Mors"

He paused, all minds wondering why that mattered but waited for him to compose his thoughts.

"Back in the fight, at the start. Cinder asked who I was and I said I didn't have a name, right?" He asked rhetorically "the person speaking, that wasn't me. Bastard was lying to boot, just wanted to say that again. Anyway, that was Zangetsu"

He hefted he weapon from his bedside and held it both hands staring down and the sword and shield.

"This is Zangetsu... Well, it's more like a fake image over Zangetsu"

With a muttered chant in a language no one had ever heard before, the weapon changed.

In a shattering of blue energy, the once lovingly recrafted Arming Sword and Heater shield were replace by two obsidian blades.

One almost as long as Jaune was tall, lacking a hand guard and hilt wrapped in bandages instead of leather. The over only as long as his forearm, machete like in shape and a hand hold seemingly cut into the blade itself. Both looking like a single piece of metal each.

Jaune looked down at them as if he was looking down at family.

"Zangetsu is special, more so than anything this world has ever seen. Ruby was told me that Weapons are like extensions of ourselves... In my case, it's literal. They're literally a part of my soul, sentient, and the only thing they want to protect is me. To the point that, well you saw. Heh, well this guy" he patted the larger sword "he really hated Cinder. Pulled me into my inner world and took control while I got my head on straight. I'd forgotten a lot of stuff, a whole lifetime in fact. You could say Zangetsu and Tensa" this time he gestured to the smaller blade "are kinda like Ozpin. They live in my head and if I'm ever in danger of dying they help me out"

Weiss frowned, the others looking to be digesting his words, too many questions. He was usually an honest man but she wanted to know more.

"Why are they special?"

"They're Zanpakuto- Soul Cutters. The weapons of the Soul Reapers. They purify Hollows and send the dearly departed on to the next life"

No one believed him and he could tell, so he resorted to desperate measures. He ditched his body and became his soul form. While they panicked that he'd suddenly just died he'd planned to cut up the walls a bit, go poltergeist on their ass and scare the crap out of them- but two sets of eyes followed him. He wasn't surprised by Oscars, the boy had a dead guy in his head already so he was naturally tuned to the more Spiritual things. He probably couldn't tell the difference between the living and the dead yet though so had never paid attention in the past. The other was a wide eyed Blake, eyes flashing from his straw sandals to his black Soul Reaper uniform and his Pauldrons.

"Uhh, guys" she said almost hysterically, he couldn't blame her. After all he was confirming the existence of an afterlife, shitty place though he knew it was, and his natural scowl didn't help. His memory loss self hadn't done it much. Damn Hat and Clogs, bastard must of known that would happen. He'd always said he'd wipe his scowl of his face one day. There was no choice though, a reality shift had to be done if he wanted to live, and it had to be one where his Spirit Energy wouldn't permanently kill or change the souls he came in contact with. A reality where Ywach combined all three realms but died in the process was the perfect place for him. He was too dangerous just by existing in his own world, he'd have accidentally killed anyone below a lieutenant just by being near them if he'd stayed. He turned his attention back to Blake who was pointing at him now.

"... Seriously he's stood right there"

* * *

 **Right, well, there you have it. All my most recent attempts at another crossover chapter. They all failed for various reasons, I ran out of ideas/patience/care/interest. Either way, this is what i've been able to produce of late, and that's why you haven't had a decent Difference chapter for a while.**

 **Personally, I don't think these ideas are _bad_ just lacking in something that I can't quite put my finger on.**

 **On a side note, anyone been playing God Eater 3? I fucking love it! I've liked the God Eater series since I discovered it (Games only though, fuck the other stuff). I'm not even very far through the game, Rank 5 (so somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 through the story I think) and i'm already hooked on it's shitty story and shitty characters. Seriously, God Eater games are the only one's I can forgive for have almost shitty everything because the game play (the most important part of a _game_ ) is awesome! **

**Eh-hum, anyway... Here's my most recent bollocks, I hope it tides over your interest!**

 **[You got a PS4 or Xbox 1? Recommend me some games, yeah? No recent one's though, I want something I might of missed from early in their life]**

 **Kind regards,**

 **Yourfellowwriter**


	15. Chapter 15

**A White Forest Filled With Yellow Roses  
**

 _"Sometimes quiet is violent"_

* * *

A dull silver blade removed a black bestial arm from it's body, black smoke and red energy seeping from the wound. No blood, never blood. These beings had no internal make-up that contained anything close to true living beings. They had no need of lungs, of stomachs but perhaps most importantly, they had no need of a heart.

The blade flashed in the pale moon-light, taking the head of the now one armed bi-pedal wolf creature. It didn't collapse to the ground, as one might imagine a slain beast to, instead it faded entirely to black smoke, smoke that vanished itself after hardly a second. Jaune Arc sheathed his sword in a fluid motion that almost seemed to take no effort, but definitively cost no thought. He made no sound save breathing and footsteps as he continued on through the dark forest before him. Purple and sickening Dust crystals littered the ground beneath his feet, the very subject of his mission that he'd smashed with his bare fists. They were further crushed beneath his feet as he kept walking, ever on-wards to a horizon he'd never reach.

He'd been in this forest for a decade now, were others would've succumbed to madness at the isolation he had only grown more apathetic. He walked on, ignoring the buzz of his scroll as it once again vibrated with an incoming message. He had once felt guilty for ignoring those that tried to contact him, his first days out in this impossible harsh world had been subject to those vibrations every ten minutes. Now? Now he only received them once a day from the only person who held hope he would someday answer back. They knew he was alive, he read every single message after all and so they knew, but he never responded.

'Where are you?'

'Are you ok?'

'We're sorry!'

'I'm sorry!'

They didn't need to worry, he didn't blame them for what happened. They had no reason to feel bad, he was a monster after all. Their initial fear and distrust of him was natural. Initially he'd felt betrayed, angry, but with hindsight he couldn't blame them. Salem had turned him into the same sort of existence as her but without the immortality. The black sludge that made up the Lake of the God of Darkness was a tainted and evil seeming thing, and considering the enemy of all of Remnant had once drowned in the stuff, it wasn't hard to see why they thought he might become the next big threat.

However, the God of Darkness wasn't "Evil", he wasn't what could be called "good" either but he wasn't evil. Both the brothers were mirror of the other, but inherently neither were what you could call an antagonist. They were Gods, they _couldn't_ view the world or their creations in the way their creations viewed themselves. It was like asking a person to consider the feelings of the ants below their feet. Even a true pacifist, who would never kill any living being, could even remotely understand lower lifeforms. It was like trying to imagine 4 dimensional life, impossible. The gods cared for their creations in ways that human and faunus would never understand. They taught lessons in ways that could seem cruel, both of them, and they didn't care how many got hurt in the process of teaching. Ozpin and Salem understood this better than most, but both were truly dead now and so he was the only one left.

Jaune had sought to balance the darkness within him and had ventured to the location that held the sparkling clear water of the Lake of the Light God. He drank of it greedily and balanced out the ichor of dark in him. He was still mortal after that, but now he was balanced.

He wasn't Human or Faunus anymore though, he wasn't someone who could fit in anywhere anymore. His old friends had abandoned him, Weiss had turned on him. They were regretful, now time had dulled their initial reactions, Weiss was the only one to keep up hope. He might have chuckled once upon a time, the girl he'd fallen in love with and had been so cold in rejecting his every advance, she was the one still waiting for his return. An entire decade later.

He stopped walking, turned his head to the broken moon. Another piece had disappeared, the return of the gods had seen the moon slowly fixing itself, every day another broken piece would reattach to the main body. He felt the opposite of that moon, each day a tiny piece of him broke away. He wasn't sure how much of him was left these days.

He took his scroll from his pocket slowly, flicking the display open. The recorded message spoke out only a moment later

'Please come home soon. I miss you... They'll turn 9 next week. Did you realise? I still tell them stories about you, about our adventures, about how we fell in love. They're starting to doubt me, doubt that you love them. I know you do, that you'd be here if you could... Jaune, our children need their father... I taught them well, they wouldn't care about what you are! I'm sorry for what I said, you know that by now, I know I was wrong and I know I hurt you. They, they need their daddy... Rose drew a picture of you the other day, Jaune she couldn't even draw your face! It's a faceless man staring back! Forest has to lie to his friends when they ask because he doesn't know whether you're even real! I tell them you love them, Jaune and I know you would... Jaune please, even if it's only for a moment... Please, prove that they have a dad that loves them. Before all this happened, that night we talked about our futures. Didn't you tell me that if you had a child you'd make sure you were always there!?"

There was a long pause, longer than the other breaks in the message. Almost to the point he thought it was over but she spoke up once more, her voice more defeated than even the darkest days of their long ago mission had instilled in her.

"It's ok though, _it's not Jaune,_ but I understand at least. What happened to you, I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you. But it's hard for me too! The others try to help, but i'm still raising two children alone when I should have the man I love at my side... I'm trying to hold out hope, we made a promise after all that we'd always be together. I hold on to that, even though you're so far away, I'll hold on to it for all i'm worth but we need you. Just, even if you can't come home, just give us a sign. Something to let me know you're there, something to let them know you love them! I'll, I'll let you go now... Stay safe my love..."

Jaune closed the scroll and continued on without any hesitation. His face as neutral as it had been through everything. Inside him however was only one thought, the same thought he'd been having this entire day. He hadn't needed his fiances message to remind him, he knew that his children were having another birthday soon. He'd always intended to visit at somepoint, even as broken as he was now, he did love those children he'd never even met. He had't lied to her, he had told her he'd love any child of his unconditionally and he did. Rose and Forest, his twin children, though he'd never even seen their faces, he always imagined them. He pictured their possible faces as he played catch, as he taught Rose to dance and cook and taught Forest how to be a gentleman. Though when he pictured himself he imagined blonde hair and blue eyes. He did not however picture as he looked now. Bleach white skin and hair and entirely golden eyes. Dark veins running across various parts of himself, he was an disgusting sight. Salem had somehow retained her natural beauty under the Ichor of that dreadful pool where as he had not. Originally, before he'd drunk of Light Lake, he'd been twisted and distorted. His muscles bulging oddly in strange places, his hands claws, a single deformed bone like wing and a twisted horn sticking from his forehead. Light Lake had balance him out, giving him both a secondary horn and wing, though still bone like, and had removed made his body proportional to the odd bulging muscles. He was still a repulsive sight to his own eyes, and to those few who'd seen him, but at least he wasn't deformed any more.

And now he'd finally gotten rid of the final "broken" Dust Crystal and there was only one last Grimm left. One he'd left to last deliberately. He walked onwards.

Jaune Arc had one last stop before he could finally retire.

* * *

Weiss Schnee watched over her two children as they sprinted around the garden of her manor gleefully, a dozen other children dotted around. Each of them joyful and playing. Some in groups, others alone, but all happy. The parents all watching with similar smiles.

Nora and Ren were by the fire pit, the ginger woman cheering on her daughter as they raced around and Ren dutifully cooking over the open flame for all the guests. Ruby, Yang and Blake stood not so far away catching up, each smiling. They cast looks her way every now and again but she pretended she didn't see their worry.

He hadn't come.

She didn't know if she was actually expecting him to or not, but she definitely hoped he would. Her children had asked if Daddy would come, but she hadn't been able to say much. She felt a failure as mother over that. How could she not be able to promise their dad would be here for them, on such an important day to a child? Logically she knew that it wasn't her fault, but she'd long ago learnt after she'd become a parent logic went out the window. No, that wasn't quite true. Logic left when you fell in love.

And she'd fallen hard long ago, she was still there. In that loving pit, the one Jaune Arc had pushed her into before jumping head first himself. Except she'd pushed him out and he'd never fallen back in.

"Mrs Schnee?"

A butler came to her side hesitantly, a new hire who'd taking over the ailing Klein's role. She wasn't particularly fond of being called "Schnee", preferring the Arc part of her double barrelled surname, but she understood why they shortened it. This was still a Schnee owned property after all and the staff were all Atlas citizens who had more respect for the Schnee name than the Arc.

"Hmm?" she acknowledged without taking her gaze away from her playing children.

"A package has arrived"

She nodded and gestured for it to be brought forward. She was handed two long and haphazardly wrapped parcels along with an envelope. She read it closely before her eyes closed and she had to take a deep steadying breath.

"Forest! Rose! A gift has arrived" she called out.

The children were at her side in under twenty seconds, panting and grinning widely. She smiled back and fought back the pain of remembrance those smiles brought. She handed a parcel to each of them and watched as they tore into them, though she had to warn Rose to be particularly careful when opening hers. The adults had gathered round to watch too, and Weiss ignored the 5 faces that instantly noticed the objects that had been unwrapped.

"These are special" she said to her children "You don't have to use them if you don't want to, or if you don't want to be a Huntsman. If you want, they can just be memento's".

Her children nodded as they each inspected their respective gift. Forest played around with a glittering _plain_ white sheath that opened into a shield, while Rose ran and Aura shielded finger down a unblemished silver sword.

"They belonged to you daddy. He... He wrote in his letter that he loves you very much, and that he hopes the weapons he wielded let you know that even though he's not here that he will always be beside you"

They seemed awed and continued to stare at the weaponry in their hands, but Weiss shared a quick glance with Ruby. Her old leader understood in an instant, she and Yang and Blake ushering away all the other adults and children for a moment of privacy. Weiss was thankful, but also incredibly overwhelmed with loneliness.

"Mommy?" Rose asked innocently "Does this mean Daddy's coming home soon?"

Weiss choked, her eyes letting loose the tears she'd been holding back since opening the letter that had arrived with the two halves of Crocea Mors. She wanted more than anything for her children to spared this truth of the world, for them to live in innocence for just a bit longer, but it was impossible now. She'd never lied to her children. They'd never grown up with a Santa or Tooth fairy, there was no Easter Bunny or the like. She taught them to enjoy the associated holidays all the same but without the pretenses. She could not lie now, no matter how much it would hurt them and her.

"No Rosie... Daddy... Daddy's never coming home" she brought both her children into a too tight embrace before they could speak. Both too stunned and confused to speak. Forest did eventually his voice trembling and he only said one word. The word that had once made her the happiest woman alive but now just made her feel more alone than ever.

"Mummy?"

She sobbed into their necks, squeezing tighter.

"He loved us! Remember that, always remember that. No matter what, your daddy loved us very, very much"

Even though it paled in comparison to how much she still loved him, Weiss couldn't help but hate the man who had promised to one day be her husband a little bit.

'I'm not coming back Weiss. I forgave you long ago. I'll always love you all, more than you can imagine. I'll always be by your sides, make sure they use Crocea Mors in whatever ways make them happy. I love you and I'm sorry. Goodbye Weiss"

Weiss knew that she was half to blame for how this had turned out, she'd struggled and perservered through it all. She never got the chance to help Jaune through his half of the struggle and he'd rightfully abandoned her to her side of them. They were both at fault for all of this, but at the very least she took comfort in the fact that, just like she'd never stopped loving him, he'd never stopped loving her.

She only wished that they could've done it together.

* * *

"One last Grimm"

He stared at it from a far, it was an Apathy. Odd that it was the last one, considering that it was physically one of the weakest. Still it was a Grimm, and even the weakest were still strong.

"Is it ironic that i'm rather apathetic to the fact i'm facing an Apathy?" He asked himself with a tone that almost seemed like humour but wasn't quite.

"Huh... Guess it's time for the last two monsters to go to sleep. Hello Apathy, goodbye Jaune Arc"

When the battle was over, one flickered away as smoke on the wind and the other fell to the ground. Alone and unnoticed.

* * *

 **Not sure what exactly I wrote here, but I was aiming for a tragic romantic sorta thing... Did I get it? The last time I did something close to this was a story I wish I hadn't deleted.**

 **It was called Check and it was a single Weiss/Jaune moment. My favourite thing i've every written. The two share a brief kiss at a pivotal moment in the story. I explained it a "the epitome and fall of their relationship". As in, the best part of their relationship but also the worst. It was both a confession and a break up in one moment. I really wish I'd not deleted that story, same with Hunter of Karakura! Those two stories had some moments i'm still really proud of despite the stories themselves being awfully done.**

 **Ahhh well,**

 **Kind regards!**

 **Your Fellow Writer.**


End file.
